Dreaming of Family
by Gildenth
Summary: A lazy gamer chooses to defy Fate. As a reward for being more than they could be, Fate gives them a boon or two. Where better than to be reborn than in the Pokémon world? Mostly the anime with some au aspects. Journal style from the OC and their pokémon. Introspective for the most part. Mature for language/safety. Starts in Blackthorn ten years before Ash is born. Slight genderswap
1. Ch 1- Dreamer and Dragon Sister

**This is my attempt at a big what if fic in one of the most beloved universes period. It draws from a lot of other stories here on fanfiction for inspiration and that's easy to tell. It won't at all be the same story, but its pretty hard not to see where I get some ideas from. What I write though I just can't seem to get out of my head. This story has been in my dreams, my waking hours just letting my thoughts flow and in the moments just as I get up and right before I sleep. I've never really written before in any large sense, so do forgive me for mistakes and such. I've no real outline of the story save for a few huge events. Any pokémon that the main character will have aren't _super_ rare in fanfictions and they are quite powerful for the most part. This story isn't about being fair or balanced, though strife shall come in time. No, this story is about someone from our world cheating their way into their dream in the pokémon world.**

**Most of the format will be half(roughly) a chapter from the OC's perspective then the second half (again roughly) from the perspective of the pokémon introduced in said chapter. This will last till the full main team is assembled and then will diverge into new characters. For now I am heavily invested in seeing at the very least twenty or so chapters written. Howlong they might be or how quick they come out is entirely based on my interest. **

**The most basic premise of this story is silly and unrealistic as well as fairly common as these things go. Someone is killed in our world ahead of their time. They are given a chance for a new life. As a gamer, they are going to do what _all_ gamers do once given the opportunity and ease of convenience. They'll cheat the system as much as possible to make the game easier. **

**Disclaimer- I do not own anything related to pokémon save the OC's in this story.**

* * *

Dreamer

Like much in my life, there are few things that fill me with more annoyance than my odd sense of well, justice. Morals. I can be utterly and completely lazy one day, then the next go out of my way to help someone who I really should just ignore. Everything related directly to myself I am utterly and completely selfish. If I'm alone, I want to stay alone and forget about everything but whatever pleases me. Whether games, books, media, whatever. Once I'm outside and forced to be sociable its as if I am a puppy with a waggy tail, ready to do anything that is asked or directed to me. True, this is an asset at work and such, but it also means I almost never stood up for myself. Just smiled, turned the other cheek and let myself weather someone being a downright ass to me to avoid more confrontation.

So many stereotypes fit me as a typical geek/gamer that its very, very odd that I've come to this. TO a moment of actual bravery. The moment of my death. So much of my life was….Boring. Sedate. A few things hit their mark though. Reading so many books about chivalry. Seeing my parents rush headlong into charity work throughout the various disasters that hit my state as I grew up. My pets loving me for no reason. Artwork that told stories through pixels and inspired me to imagine more than I could ever think possible.

But here, now, as this building is crashing down on me. As the girl, a bit cute, but really rather plain is screaming as I push her out of the way of the concrete and rubble about to crush me...Well, I can feel good about this right? That I'm not worthless. That my sin of sloth won't make me a footnote. She'll remember me. Yeah. We'll skip on past this now, apart from the brief, staggering bit of pain and into the whiteness that I didn't expect. Life after death really didn't interest me, truly, but now that I'm here its very much a thing of peace. Anxiety and despair are gone for the moment. Just curiosity and a sense of anticipation. Truly this is going to be something great. Which, obviously, means its about to be ruined.

"So. Hrm. Why are you here? Seriously. You weren't supposed to fucking do that moron. She would have been miraculously spared in the _exact_ spot you pushed her from. It would have inspired her to live her life to the fullest and deve-you know what forget it. You done fucked up."

Now, there is no turning in this white place, as I don't have a body, really. My consciousness more or less affixated onto this voice which, oddly enough, had a sarcastic, grating voice of a woman in her thirties or so. The being in front of me was disappointingly human, even if breathtakingly beautiful. At least for a moment. Going from a dark-haired and tall woman to a hag, then to a small girl in an few instants became much more disturbing. I couldn't help but note that I'm not panicking either. Is it because I'm dead?

"What do you think? Of course you're dead. Don't bother thinking it either. Yes. I can read your mind. Just. Stop. I'll give you the info-dump. And for my sake just accept this place as proof of what I say. I am Fate. Or as close to it as you can get. There are three aspects that became gods of sorts from all of humanity's collective will. Myself, destiny and will. Destiny is the path you follow through your own choices. Myself, I nudge things along to help you find it, Will is what drives you to better yourself. There is a lot of overlap, so best just consider us one being."

I'm not know for my intelligence on abstract concepts, and judging by the deep frown on the now teenage girl with bright pink hair, I'm not pleasing her orders of 'stop thinking that way'. Regardless, I tried to speak or think at her or whatever, but again, its not to be.

"Seriously if you...Hadn't done...bett..." Odd again, but she seems to be blushing and mumbling off about whatever it is she's trying to express to me. On her first form this would have been highly appealing. On the currently extremely overweight and sagging blob she's currently looking as… Well. I'm glad I don't have a body to stare at her in some horror. But, let's see if I can't hold a conversation.

"I don't understand. You're….Something more than I could ever be. I assume you are busy? Perhaps? Why am I here, then, Fate? And could you repeat that last part?" My voice came out in my head, just as it was in my life, but seriously, speaking without a mouth? I think I'd rather move on soon to wherever I go after this.

Ignoring my stray thoughts, the small toddler spoke with the same adult voice, freaking me out just a tad. "Look. I and my other selves are born of humans. Essentially we are created by all that you are and the energy you don't see driven by all your lives. Thus, its best for us if you have a balanced life and live well. Not necessarily long lives. Just _good_ ones. Hence, yours wasn't that impressive until your last moments. " A deep breath followed, as if she were pumping her older, soccer mom body for a shock. "In actuality, I am fallible, just as a human would be. When you saved her, not only did you shift your destiny into something admirable, but you made hers that much more driven. Previously she would have done great things. Now? Its likely she's going to run a company that will cure...A lot of issues. So, both as a reward and to get your annoying thoughts away from me, my selves and I are offering you a boon from the three of us. One of Fate. One of Destiny and one of Will."

She pauses then, back to a different, more normal teenage girls with rabid acne across her otherwise pretty face. There are so many questions going through my head and its again odd that I'm so...Analytical about this all. Then again I do have no body and am in the presence of a god more or less. Perhaps she's keeping me from freaking out? A short nod as she shifts again into another one of the presumably actual people she's created by secures that theory into fact. Before I can ask what the details of the boons are, she speaks, probably to keep me from annoying her.

"The boon of Fate allows you to pick something of your new world that _will_ happen. That is without fail going to happen in your new life. I'd pick this choice second if I were you. The boon of Destiny determines which world you go to and what you wish your path to be. It isn't a certainty, just a good chance of you making your way based on what you put yourself forward towards. If you remain as you were in your previous life, I don't expect you should choose a large destiny." The twinkle in her ever shifting eyes is particularly amused at this and it shows in the way she drawls out her words. Yay. Sarcasm.

"The boon of Will is something you can pick to better yourself very personally. Sure, it can be a power or such, but I highly advise you do something about your personal work ethic. Really. You worked so well at your job the the second you got home it was pretty fucking pathetic." Ouch. Or well it would have been ouch if I could feel anything past logic and just a hint of my old snark. Truthful, but ouch.

'Looking' at Fate, so many things could have come out. So many worlds where I could be utterly selfish. Where I could have harems or rule the world. If I was reading this right, anything within the power of literally god, or goddess rather, could be mine. But. But. That last moment of my life came back to me. Where I didn't know my path other than this woman would live no matter what happened to me. So, I did something smart for once. I asked for a bit of time to consider. Fate just smiled at me something warm and pleased, then said to yell when I was ready. An instant later and she was gone.

As if this whole thing wasn't introspective enough I now had what I think is eternity to choose where I would go. No concept of that isn't possible entered my mind. Just worlds that could be. Really, some of them were quite pathetic and downright stupid. As much as I was trying to remake myself here, already dead, I should have stuck to my strengths. Strengths that while in our world were rather useless to everyday, important life, could be amazing in a world of fantasy no more. I'm not sure how long I thought there, turning my one true skill into a ruthless bid to gain a huge amount of power into my not yet existent hands but it was a while. Excitement filled me. Utterly. Such joy and emotion that I could both do something amazingly…..cool and at the same time do so much good for others especially with foreknowledge.

Yelling out her name felt good, so driven by what was offered. As if Fate was now what led me here as opposed to the distant idea that she could make a mistake with me here now as she had with me at my death. No. Not her mistake. My true and good choice. Without me noticing, suddenly she was there, now in the form of a very old and tiny woman covered in wrinkles that spoke of a good long life.

"I see you have an idea. Yes, you can go to the pokémon world. Every concept ever is a world someplace. Any dream every dreamed is someplace. Do keep in mind that I am different there. Its...not as if I am not Fate there, just that I am shaped there differently. There is no more interference after I send you from here." A brief pause occurs as another shift comes, curiously back to the pink haired girl from before.

"Your boon of Destiny is acceptable. Born into the pokémon anime world ten years before Ash Ketchum is born into the Blackthorn clan. A good choice there. Don't tell anyone but my favorite type is dragon." Not knowing if she's fucking with me, I hastily continue as she doesn't interrupt as she senses that I want some clarification.

"Can I get my old save files of my various pokémon games here?" This is what I was excited about. My one gift. Min maxing and breaking games to create a team or strategy to destroy my opposition. Single player games were my bread and butter. And while the pokémon world is very much pvp in theory, I had a lot of ideas on teams. So, I'd pick twelve pokémon total from my files that I'd bred to perfection and gotten all my ideal egg moves on and make _that_ my boon of Fate. She's born of humans. She has to know I'd take advantage of this. Without a blink suddenly my cherry colored 3DS is there, already on and in my pokébank. Perhaps its odd but I adored starting over various pokémon games multiple times even with very similar teams. Constant hours were spent getting shiny pokémon starter teams bred to perfection for my next adventure into the rich worlds of pokémon.

Perhaps Fate enjoyed the honest pleasure I had in looking over my pocket monsters as she didn't say a thing, just smiled gently as she felt myself pick and choose carefully. Some of my choices were easy. Blackthorn meant a dragon starter and the one I picked had a very special addendum that she allowed me with a slight nod the second it entered my brain. Pokémon choice two and five were both my two and only shiny. Honestly, anyone would want to have at least one shiny on their team and I was planning on the relative safety of the city of dragons keeping my rare pokémon safe until they were strong enough to defend themselves and me. Two would both give me an in with a very important character and to help defend my mind. Five would be for a bit of transportation, eventually and as just a really great battler.

Number four was meant to help me deal with my dragon's weakness, as was six. I couldn't help but notice that one through five were all quite common in terms of popularity but fuck it. If this was my new life I was going to make sure I came about with my favorites. My seventh member was to correct a glaring weakness in my team's coverage as well as to give me someone to help train electric moves to number six. Eight would be quite possibly the most important member to my team in regards to security and information. Really, if my plan worked as I wished, number eight would be able to beat all but my last pokémon.

Nine would end up being helpful with transportation and one of the two team medics alongside three but very much more heavy on the healing that three's limited options. Three would help me more with diplomacy and my own personal growth. Ten I worried a bit about being too late in the list to truly grow stronger, but on the other hand with how dangerous they typing of this pokémon its probably better the rest of my team could wreck him if needed. Regardless, I needed ten desperately for number twelve. Eleven would become another tank for the team, as only really two and maaaaybe six up until this point were clearly beefy more than fast and powerful. Also, another form of possible transformation.

And finally twelve. Every choice before now are decidedly strong and pretty stereotypical choices for pokémon. Twelve would be a test. As well as one of my favorite mons. A legendary. The only legendary on my list. Twisting my desire to its fullest, I assigned each pokémon their chosen moves, natures and abilities, along with another smirk at the question if they could have multiple abilities if I desired. Perhaps Fate enjoys fanfiction too? Turning my mind from that I noted down the first of my choices for emphasis.

_Gible the Land Shark_

_Nature: Adamant (King)_

_Ability: Sand Veil and the hidden ability Rough Skin_

_Moves: Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Scary Face, Iron Head, Rock Climb._

Oh did I have practical uses for Rock Climb. Five moves. Could I use five moves? A look of utter annoyance at the stupidity of that thought from the now over six foot basketball player looking woman that is Fate gives me another grin as I go to amend some of my other entries. The King's nature was to give me a giant head start on power. I would need it in droves to affect the change I wished in the world at larger.

Patiently Fate continues to watch me, every changing as she waits for my boon to be complete. Eventually everything was done. My choices made and the lists prepared. The first six would show up from my third birthday until my ninth, one in each year so I'd have a year to train each before the next. Also, my first two were slow evolving pokémon who would need the time to reach their peak. How I would justify having six pokémon before my trainer journey would be helped immensely by my boon of Will.

"So. Your boon of Will then? I could feel your determination for it from my duties in the world twice over. I haven't peeked at it yet. This choice is always the most interesting." Mentally gulping, I decided to be a bit more careful and thought before I 'spoke'. Seriously, this all will be so much more easy when I have a body again.

"Will is about bettering yourself. About being more than you were a moment before. My choice ties into what I want my ultimate destiny to be besides just a Blackthorn clan member. I wish to be an Aura Guardian. And not like Riley. As far as I know he just...Shows up and goes away never to be seen again. " Really, I haven't seen much of the anime in ages. Much of my knowledge is from random wiki searches, fanfiction and odd youtube videos. "As far as I know Aura in the word I wish to go to requires sacrifice, dedication and hard work to truly work for you. Its a superpower, yes, but it requires a pure heart and honest care for the world around you. I don't just want it to be...Power. Someday I wish to pass it on, to grow a positive force for good for pokémon and people alike."

Really, how many 'Teams' show up to ruin the world? And what stops them besides the league and G-Men? Do they even really make a difference when some snot-nosed idiot kid with massive good luck stops them at every turn? If I have my way Ash is definitely going to get trained in aura by Riley or myself. Then my new group of Guardians are going to be proactive against assholes and disasters. The passion must come through in my thoughts or this odd speaking I'm doing as she just beams at me as if I got five stars on my first grade homework. Its uplifting but also a bit condescending.

"You've a wonderful idea there. And while yes you are stretching the boons more than I expected, they all fall within the spirit my selves wanted them to be. Yes. Your Will is both a reward and a duty. I approve immensely. Now. Are you ready to begin your new life?" Almost as if hoping for me to say no, her eyes gleam from blue to brown to green and back, seeking my consent. Here is where I almost wish I'd said yes. However, with the success of my gamer instincts working out so far, they screamed to ask for one more thing, but with a caveat.

"You're made from us, right? Then can I ask for one more boon with a cost? So much of how we view divine beings is as fickle at times. I'd ask you do that but be fair compared to what I ask." This was a bit of a gamble, obviously. And I'd been given a lot already, but I was quite willing to give a bit of hardship for a chance to make my first years more productive. "Change something of me that doesn't destroy my plans, merely makes them harder or shifts something in my life I don't exactly want...Something to amuse you perhaps? And in return give me all the practical knowledge I need for the pokémon I've chose." Really, with some of my choices I _really_ needed this. I wasn't going to be a single type master at all. Generalists require so much more help.

Thus, while I was horrendously worried at the bright-joyous grin Fate gave me, ultimately, I was content that she just nodded at my request even if it was with a grin that threatened to split the heavens. "Well, since that's all, I do hope you enjoy your next life. My selves as they are in your new world are going to enjoy seeing how you change things. It was a pleasure being wrong about you. So I won't make your detriment a true one. Just….an amusing one as you said." A slow wink and then I was gone, being sucked through the ether like the mother of all drunken amusement park rides. If I could throw up in my...spirit? Whatever I was. I would have. Moments later though, I was greeted by large people who seemed very happy to see me crying my eyes out and flailing my decidedly weak as hell limbs. And thus my new life began.

Three Years Later

So, in case it wasn't apparent, I realized that I haven't flat out said this is a journal. Of course, as this is written in English, and not League standard Kantonese, its very likely that only I will ever truly read this. Still, it helps my mind to cope immensely. The previous entry was written just a few days ago from memory as, well, I would imagine seeing an under one year old baby trying to jot their thoughts down would have led to my biggest fear of my new life, for now. Psychic reading. I'm not sure what the response to a reincarnated person from another reality is here but I have zero desire to experience it. So. Journal. Hi.

Okay so maybe you're a diary. Cause that's more associated with females. Which is what I am now. Yeah. That's what Fate did to me. Before I came here I was three inches over six feet, somewhat chubby and decidedly male. It took me a few weeks to realize I was female too, as mother (Hannah) and father (Rickard) spoke gibberish at me quite a lot until I realized what name they were calling me.

That's right. I am now Ella Mita of the Blackthorn Clan. Its very odd that the language here is so different but all the names are very Western European sounding for the most part. Whatever the case, after hearing my female name so often, I squirmed around to make sure the anatomy was as feared. Keep in mind that as a newborn I really slept far too much and when active it was to desperately learn the language and very carefully ignore someone wiping up after my uncontrollable messes. Lets skip all this journal and get to the interesting points.

First off, my mother is the older sister of Clair, and thus Lance is a first cousin of mine, the asshole kid that he is right now. Seriously, I'm a well behaved three year old and he adores teasing the hell out of me. Grandpa and grandma Wataru had my mom waaaaay earlier than Clair so she's only a few years older than me and Lance is a big butt head of a five year old right now. I don't know when Lance becomes Champion, but in seventeen or so years from now Ash will set out on his journey, I have those years to get myself up to Lance's level or beyond to help all the shit that will go down then. Assuming I don't forget it all by then. Hrm. I'll make another English journal with notes about that tomorrow. Anyway, right now he's just a punk who thinks how serious I am is hilarious. The bastard.

But, back to home. Living here is everything I hoped. Dragons are everywhere and they fucking love me. No seriously. Wanna know how good a choice Aura was as my will? Well. Lets just say that every single day of my pathetic first three years of baby time was spent focusing my will into understanding pokémon and helping them understand me. To show how utterly committed to this world I am. I knew dragons would be tough to befriend, but apparently most species, especially ones at Blackthorn, have great respect for hatchlings as they view us little pink baby trainers.

Using this ruthlessly to endear myself to them, both by taking my stupidly cute baby girl face and using the dreaded small animal eyes jutsu as well as stubbornly escaping my suffering parents rapidly more elaborate ways of trying to keep me away from the mass destruction monsters for these last three years. The thing about pokémon is that they know that trainers can make them utterly destructive and powerful. That something about us bonds with them. Increases their aptitude and ability past what they can achieve in most of the wilds. Without an Elder of their particular species or type its often impossible for a wild pokémon to match those trained. Thus Blackthorn. Most dragons here from the vibrava to the dragonite give out their children in the hope they return home with their trainers with more power than their parents.

How does this work? True, humans tend to be much smarter than the majority of pokémon in one big regard. Adaptability. We can work with just about anything and find a way to survive. Such methods put towards training. Well. I stated the outcome already. This leads to my theory about Aura though. Lifeforce. So many Legendaries have aura or close to aura like moves. Aeroblast. Pure flying energy. Sacred Flame. Fire incarnate. Fusion Bolt. On and on the moves come. All considerably more powerful than normal moves of the type associated. I always though it was because of the sheer presence of the Legendaries and boy was I right.

Aura Guardians were always seemingly universally trusted as if Aura couldn't lie. The rilou line is a perfect example as everyone seems to agree they are just _good_. Whatever the case, three years of constant meditation and concentration in every spare moment have unlocked a good part of my spiritual aura. I'm positive I will be somewhat superhuman when I grow older in physical ways, but for now I'm just enjoying the fact that I can truly understand pokémon in a tangible way.

Thus, the dragons adore me, as aura means I am very easily trusted and that pokémon seem to get stronger around it. Not in the physical sense, though I expect there is a bit of that as well. Maybe some species in the past who were exposed to a lot of aura evolved into legendaries? Whatever the case, I am pretty sure that the giant egg that momma garchomp just laid is my starter. The blue-black egg warms to my touch and even shifts a little even if its clear it has another month or so before it hatches. The caretakers here are very interested in it as its more or less twice the normal size. Each of the dragon types here keep to themselves for the most part, but momma garchomp (as she's the biggest and baddest of the species) is known only to take a mate who defeats her in battle.

Thus, this egg was fathered by the dragonite who I expect will someday father Lance's three or twenty dratinis. Honestly, could he get a different dragon? Maybe he does, but all he cares about are blue worm-dragons right now. Really, I like dratini as well. But he can't shut up about them.

Anyway, I'm the only clan member who can approach Momma (We're going to call her that from now on) which drives my parents nuts as Momma isn't tamed any longer. She's been here for four or so human generations when a former Champion died and left her someplace she adored in the past. While trained, she is _not_ tamed. A few caretakers were mauled or close to for getting to close to her last batches ahead of when she wanted and one cocky ass hydreigon lost a head thinking he could take her as a mate.

Me though? She treats me like I'm her favorite daughter. Someday I hope I can actually talk with words to my pokémon like lucario seem to do with Aura, but for now I get emotions and general concepts. Hunger. Anger. Want to scratch. Etc. Learning her favorite foods and showing her how I can take care of myself even if I'm so little have gone a long way to showing her I'm worthy of her notice. Even as babies dragons are deadly and hard to deal with. From the way she is amused at the utter lack of fear of her to how frustrated and afraid my parents get for me have made her very, very interested to see if I can train her child to her level. The level she gained from her beloved lost master.

Don't get me wrong. Momma is a fearsome, scary as shit creature that could destroy much of the city, as could all of the elder dragons here, but she knows how safe it is with the clan and honestly she doesn't see the point of fighting anything that isn't a challenge. As a dragon should be.

I've been glossing over them really, but my parents are...Good. They just aren't my original parents who, despite not understanding me, were extremely good people who I loved. The first year of life was spent mourning them and my other family on Earth when I wasn't driven to learn my new language and harness aura. That being said, Hannah and Rickard Mita are some of the greatest people I've ever met. They deal with a lot. While Hannah was a former trainer who quit along her journey to train to become the Blackthorn Gym Leader in earnest, Rickard, my father….Well. He's nuts. Fantastic, but nuts.

Let me explain. First off, my last name isn't a Blackthorn name. There are a few famous ones. Lance Wataru for instance. (Read: Asshat) But Mita is my father's name and he's a normal type trainer who well. If he ever cheats on mom someday I fully expect Clemont in Kalos to be my much, much younger brother. Of course dad would die immediately after as you don't cross dragons or their trainers. While Bill, Devon and Silph will always be the more well known geniuses who create some of the super technology in the world, my father is responsible for making a lot of it affordable.

Need a backpack that can store months of food for giant beasts of destruction to cost less than a car? Call Rickard Mita. Want the power to transport one of said monsters in a small little ball across the world for less energy than keeping your light on for half an hour? Get my old man. My father specializes in efficiency. And idiocy. If an idea gets in his head he won't stop until he's got it out of his head. It drives my mother spare and is probably responsible for her having a Lt. Surge reputation for violence all the damn time. God forbid that- Pardon. Arceus forbid that he misses date night. I'm pretty sure his absent minded nature is giving birth to the move frustration being created.

This leads to another bit of Fate being a bitch. I'm a young girl with bright blonde hair and purple eyes. If all goes well I'm going to have a massive garchomp as my starter someday. That fucking goddess took my admiration of Cynthia and made me into a chibi one. True, Cynthia is probably not much older than me right now but still! I don't actually know if she has violet eyes but the idea is stuck in my head. So dying my hair black later. BTW, I'm not going to be talking about my female parts anymore for a while. Day to day aspects suck right now. Not in….a bad way. Just different and weird. More later.

Back to mom. She's scary, destructive and focused. And much like Momma, quite kind with me. Its safe to say that Lance, Clair and I are called prodigies from how quick we've progressed. Myself much more than the other two but that's to be expected. I'm much older than I appear after all. Mom has taken it the best. She grew up with dragons. She knows strength in small forms from birth and even if I wasn't expected to be this way she's done everything to support me, minus liking me hanging out with Momma as much as I have.

Random thought. While I am me from Earth I have noticed that I've picked up a lot from my parents here. If I have an idea I can't stop from seeing it through like my dad but like my mom I go about it very definitively and with a clear goal and methods to get there. Dragons might be all bout power and awe but my mother is absolutely more a tactical thinker. Frankly I don't know how dad snagged her. She's utterly beautiful and confident. Then again some of the ways he's made her life easier in simple, subtle ways tells me a lot. It helps that he is not at all intimidated by her or her pokémon. Oh! Their pokémon are great.

Mom has two dragonite, a hydreigon, a few of the flygon line that mostly just keep to themselves and my favorite, her starter, a truly awesome kingdra. Not because he's utterly powerful, which he is, but because he lets me ride him around like a jet ski without giving a fuck what my mother thinks. He recognizes me as a dragon hatchling already. The fifth or so time she caught us doing that was the point where she started pushing me to go further. When she saw her daughter as what I really was. Or at least what I was becoming. She has quite a few more lower levelled pokémon for gym battles, mostly offspring of her main team, but none of them are meant to stay with her. Eventually they'll be given to clan members or released into the Dragon's Den or the nearby area that hold the less aquatic dragons like Momma.

I suppose I should at least describe kingdra a bit more. Most of her partners are rather aloof save the hydreigon who is very fixated on my hair and the three heads tend to fight to tug on it. It'd be amusing if I hadn't seen the same dragon break apart boulders in a rage due to its food being late. Seriously. Kingdra is a bit over half as big as the average of its species. More or less a seahorse on crack, its giant armored form can pretty much float anywhere. Its built for speed in the water and a tank on land. Honestly, he's quite the bad ass. The only bleh aspect is that one of his antennae was injured years ago and mother told me it took them the better part of the year after to compensate.

Father's pokémon are much more….Practical? I'm not sure what to call them. He's got two lab assistants that are an ambipom and lolpunny. A girafarig rounds out the last of his pokémon. All are trained to help him move things as well as delicate maneuvers with his various devices. The girafarig, Earnest, is easily my favorite as appears to be a theme, let me ride him quite a bit when I was younger. This was approved though, as Earnest would just take me around the house or so and entertain me with various psychic displays.

Oh and for reference, ambipom is a multi armed goof of a monkey and lolpunny is a very large and pretty puffball of a rabbit. Who walks on two legs. And is oddly elegant. Yeah okay I don't get it but eh. Earnest is basically a giraffe with two heads and insane psychic powahs! He can also be bribed with apples. I don't even know why I'm describing them. I know exactly what they look like. Maybe somehow someone else from another universe comes here and this will help them? Nah. Probably I just like describing my friends.

Before catching the science bug father was a coordinator oddly enough. I haven't yet asked to see any sort of routine but based on how flashy Earnest can be I would imagine they were impressive. Plus dad's personality would lead to some very unique ideas. Its not clear if he had more pokémon than just three but then again it gets expensive to have more. Maybe that's why I the games you so rarely go six versus six in trainer battles?

Oh my Arceus. Was my dad a cannon fodder trainer in some route for the main player?!

I need to process this. Going to sneak out and check on Momma. Just gonna stuff you in one of dad's super mega bags journal. Will write more when I get to her.

Literally an hour later

I'm enjoying messing with the journal entries. Just to make sure this can't be decoded easily (Read: I'm lazy), I'm going to forgo the actual dates. This is mostly just to reflect on things and really I honestly don't know what date it is nor care to know most of the time. Pokémon generally don't view time as such, especially the older living ones, and I'm here to live with them, not people. Might as well get situated like that. Ahem. So. That month that I was estimating? Turns out that its more like right now. My starter is coming and Momma is showing her displeasure at my parents trying to take me away. Seriously, kingdra and her almost went at it. I hadn't noticed it, but the ribbons mother has been putting in my hair apparently have a tracker my dad made up within them. Look at them. Working together. I'm sticking my tongue out at them as they dry to get closer to me right now. Despite how well spoken I am and how mature I act, I can still be a kid! So neeeeeeeh to them. Its their fault for not believing me when I said my starter was coming way early.

Coming from their point of view I can understand this quite a bit. A three year old hyper intelligent child who regularly hangs out with a garchomp that could probably wipe out my mother's whole team by herself. Momma is that bad ass. Still, my mother is….Fierce. I love her to death for getting up close and yelling at Momma as she was. It took me getting between them and hugging the still rocking egg with my mega cute self to get them to stand down. With the very gentle way Momma nudge me away to check on the egg I think mother got the idea right finally. She stopped looking at me as her daughter again, much like that day with kingdra and resolved to judge me as if I were a new trainer. I think. She's cocking her head at me and does that stare all mothers have that looks straight into my heart to see what she needs to give me. That's what a mother does. Gives.

Moment. She's walking over after bowing to Momma. Who. Wow. She nodded back slowly. Fuck. She only does that in respect. Back in a minute.

Maybe a week later?

So. Great things. AMAZING things. But first off I need to get out the odd things. First off. Don't write in a journal in what is essentially code in front of your super observant mother while casually petting a massive garchomp. I'm an idiot. And cocky. It took me saying that I was trying to figure out a way to hide my future strategies to get her to approve of the method….Even if I'm absolutely sure she knew some of it was bull. I mean. I very much am putting some plotting in here. But yea. Not doing that again.

Back to the AMAZING though. Zaela is here and she's perfect. I've glossed over a lot of the speaking to pokémon thing here for a few reasons. One, even here I'm not all that comfortable saying directly what some of the older dragons say. They have no filter and a lot of it is boring fight after fight followed by which giant bitch of a mate they got out of it. I'm rolling my eyes here journal. Hard. Perhaps that's why I preferred Momma's company so much. Not just because I was certain she'd be my Fate-dictated starter's mom, but because she only talks about fighting when I ask. Most of our conversations tended to be about me and my dad's inventions. She more or less let it be known she hadn't talked or tried to talk to any of the Clan since her trainer. All true Blackthorn Clan can understand dragons to a certain extent. I was just more advanced because of the bullshit that is aura.

I tried to write about eight hours later which were because Momma made it known in no uncertain terms that I was to be her daughter's sister. (That turned into a week because of how needy Zaela is. ) Blackthorn has many traditions not made public to the world at larger. The biggest is that each dragon starter bonds at birth to a trainer of the parents' choice. Sometimes this means clan members don't get chosen ahead of their start of journey, in which case they get the much less powerful gym raised pokémon that my mother uses for newbies or have to catch something from the Dragon's Den that can't ever truly bond as the main ritual does. The specifics weren't given to me as I'm not the next in line to be head of clan. Not that I'd want to. Lance the current shit but maybe later awesome dude can keep it.

Momma pretty much refused to speak to anyone about her egg until right after I stopped writing last. It was the first conversation she had that wasn't with me since her former Master died I think. Needless to say my mother's jaw dropped at Momma's declaration and that she'd take her future hatchlings elsewhere if my mother couldn't get her head out of her ass and see that I was worthy. That's not exactly what was said, but the feeling was essentially that. Keep in mind I'm heavily translating from shared feelings and general concepts. I also made a second mistake then, or at least how I viewed it.

From my birth I wasn't sure just how big of a deal an aura master could be. Frankly I should have figured it out from how rare they are in the lore I knew of and how reclusive Riley was. When I first started learning aura I didn't think of the physical changes that might occur. Nothing overt in terms of my body save for the giant blue glowing eyes when I try to talk to pokémon, which I always made sure to do away from my parents. Seriously, they worried about me enough. No need to tell them about how the dragonair down the street is pranking kingdra in a way to get him interested in giving her babies. (He liked it. Little dratini in some months.)

My mother 'eeped' for the first time in my life and very carefully came close to me.

"Ella darling. Have you always been able to talk to pokémon?" The mom tone was in full force at this. Not so much the one where I knew I was in trouble. More along the lines of hey, my kid quite possibly might be a genius in a way I didn't already know and holy shit I'm panicking about how I can relate to them about this tone.

"Mm. Yes. Almost since I could walk mother." I played up the innocent daughter act hard here journal-kun. Seriously. If there is one thing I am enjoying about this new existence is fucking with people. Of course right now it was all damage control, but I've been getting Lance in trouble for being a prick for a year now with this look. He pulled Clair's hair last week for the fifth or so time. Sure, Clair turns into a bad ass later, but right now she's a sweet girl who enjoys combing my hair every chance she gets. I'm the only one in the clan with blonde hair at the moment and she's fascinated by it. Her bright blue hair is so much more pretty than mine but I'm getting heavily off track and trying not to freak about how I just wanted to write a lot about my hair.

"Honey, I need you to be very open about this and tell me if you feel anything else when you talk to all the pokémon. Emotions? Can you hear words? Do you notice things before they...How do I say this? Do you know someone is coming before you see them?" Something must have shown in my face because while emotions and words I knew about from the lucario movie and episodes, the sensing people before I visually notice them was something I hadn't noticed but made perfect sense.

Nodding slightly as if confirming that I was the next coming of Aaron she shared a look that married couples have with my dad and said not one more word about my starter the rest of the night. Incidentally, that's a funny thought. Ash is totally the second coming of Aaron. The short story is that our Clan's Nurse Joy whose partner is a lucario with a scarily strong heal pulse started to help me train with aura a week or so later after Zaela and I got situated. Why our Joy has a lucario rather than a chansey or blissy? She has to deal with grouchy dragons all day long. She needs something with a bit more punch and that can take a beating getting her out of dodge if things goes south. Seriously, that lucario is nearly champion level with the amount of training she does.

Back to Zaela. Fuck. I need to stop getting distracted. This whole thing should be about her. Most gible are average just above two feet when they reach their maturity in the base evolution. They roughly double their height and triple their weight to a gabite and about 1.5 that to garchomp. There is a bit more growing before the evolution but that's roughly the average they reside at before becoming more. My darling Zaela, who saw me as a sister from the moment the ritual was conducted...which by the way I refuse to mention here in case someone does decode this, Arceus forbid, Just imagine something epic and dragony to fill in the blanks journal-kun. My sister Zaela is taller than me at four feet and a few inches and outweighs me by….A lot. She's dense. King's Nature I'm told will slow a bit more in her later evolutions but I'm looking at an eight to ten food garchomp when she's fully evolved which is at the very least two feet more than the regular size. Momma is about eight feet, but she doesn't have King's Nature and let me know she got this big by living as long as she has.

Here is the AMAZING though. The ritual had...Aura. More or less. And it bound us in a way I can't even describe. I can understand how Lance becomes who he will be. So much. Zaela can speak to me. Words flow from each of us so easily its as if I'm psychic. Its not, as it more or less is a universal translator that only tunes into Zaela….But its there. Even now she's telling me that kingdra is swimming over to our home near the Dragon's Den from visiting his mate. My sister desperately wants them to hatch so she can fight them. Currently there aren't any hatchlings around Zae's age and she's already spoiled on the idea of being the strongest Gible in the history of gibles. I…..may have explained how rare King's Nature is and it went straight into her dragon pride and inflated it past safety levels.

Given Momma's stories or rather feelings of her past I would imagine this should be expected. While not a king (or is it queen?) herself, Momma is a massively fantastic example of the garchomp line. Or is it Gible line? Which is prope-Actually I'll just go with the final form as my preference. Standing just over seven feet and probably a half more than the usual weight, Momma is covered in scars and one of her odd jet-looking horn thingies is missing a bit of tissue from a bite from something effing massive. If I ever get down aura talking to any and all pokémon I'm going to find out how she got it. One thing not exactly shared in the games or anime is that pokémon are not all the exact same color. While not shiny really, Momma is definitely a darker blue than most garchomp I've seen. Zaela shares her coloring almost to a capital T. Momma's scales even have some odd sort of stripes that probably evolved from the environment her former trainer caught her from as she already made it clear Blackthorn was not her original home. Oh. Come to think of it there are no other gibble, gabite or garchomp here. Huh.

Moving on, a few more things to note. As I said Zaela is much bigger than me journal-kun, Like. I should not be able to control her save for the bullshit that is aura and Momma herself. Honestly, Zaela could eat me in one bite if she _really_ tried. I have mother to thank for this again. I'm thinking of this from an outside perspective. Imagine a three year old petite (for now hopefully) pretty girl with a newborn gible the size of most gabite running around and roughhousing without a care in the world. I worry I'm getting cocky again, but only time will tell.

Damnit. Rambling again. Zaela's voice is so warm. Not like say, as you'd imagine heat. But as if I didn't know I had a relationship that could make me feel so whole. I was alone. Now I am not. It isn't quite being a new person together but that… This is hard. Its truly indescribable. It makes me wonder if this is why starters are so special to people. That maybe they feel a bit of what I do. Never am I so grateful I chose to be here. Zaela is everything now. She knows it too. Even now I can sense her pushing warm fluffy dragon thoughts at me. Not say, that she loves me, but that to celebrate our bond we'll kill some poor animal and feast together as sisters. Oh. Right. Pokémon don't eat pokémon here except in the wild.

The ecology (that the right word?) of this world is fucking strange. Obvious carnivores can eat berries like gluttons and then use energy attacks that have to come from _somewhere_. There are actual animals. About what you'd expect. Cattle and the odd regular birds and such. The only reason they've survived when so many pokémon exist to eat them is that other than bugs most pokémon take quite the while to mature to be a true threat compared to how utterly quick regular animals breed. Think rabbit level stereotype for anything that isn't a pokémon. To be honest I'm not going to look into this subject until I'm starting my journey. Even if I know that Zaela and I will be hunting deer and up for her food. My dragon will be trained but definitively not tamed.

The first few days after she was born were actually absent of Momma's aid. Apparently the garchomp line are very hands off with their offspring as the deserts they usually inhabit have zero natural predators for them. Dragons thrive in hardship so its actually much more beneficial for them to find their own way. Dragonite are one of the few exceptions as you can often find them in mated pairs with two to three offspring. Momma, however, is ridiculously proud of Zaela and couldn't stay away from her favorite human (Me! Yay!) and by her own admission, the strongest hatchling she's ever bore.

Ever consider that game mechanics have bearing to actual methods of life? For instance. Before exp share was around in the pokémon games you would toss your pleb new pokémon in front of your stupidly levelled one-shot everything starter and boost them like mad. It works here to an extent. In the wild dragons grow quite slow. As I said earlier, trainers bring out potential wicked fast but that's usually just base stats. At first. Once teammates learn moves its infinitely faster to teach them to new pokémon. Thus, before Zaela hatched I spent a good six months trying to convince Momma of what I wanted for her daughter's life. I didn't flat out tell her that I was from another reality but remember my paid for by losing my gender boon. I am a garchomp line breeder and physician in all but name.

Treating her various old wounds, increasing her diet to make her healthier. Showing her ways that would aide her instincts to taking care of my not yet hatched starter and even showing her new ways to use her abilities to make it that much more hard for any other dragon in Blackthorn to match her convinced her. Eventually. Watching me talk to Zaela from the first magical contact to easily dealing with the snappy nature of the line as well as not being afraid to push my starter the exact amount before actual detriment? Yes, Momma was ready to help me in my plot to make Zaela a legendary in strength against her usual instincts of old. Thus, my not so little gible started to learn every move Momma knew.

Oh, Zaela couldn't use them at all, no, but essentially I'm giving her a massive head start when she evolves which sadly, due to my plan, probably won't be for years. Not only do I want to squeeze every bit of training into every one of her forms to make the next stronger but I actually didn't consider that a King's Nature dragon is even slower to grown than a normal version. Whatever. When she's grown she's going to shit on Lance's whole team. Okay. No more Lance bashing unless he stays an ass after puberty. Really, he's super fucking cool in every instance I met him in the games or even the anime. I'll stop now.

Zaela is nipping at my hair now. Hah! I can use that as an excuse to keep it short! Regardless she's felt vibrations of some poor animal she wants to try and eat. Pokémon seem to know what other pokémon feel like so we won't be chasing a sentret or what not. Probably a goat with the hills about Momma's den. Talk later journal-kun. But probably not for a while. Now that Zaela is old enough to truly train to what I want I'm going to be very, very busy. So! Ta ta for now.

Many months later

I'd apologize for not writing in a while journal-kun but you're just here to be my introspection tool. Or something. That said, I have so much to tell. Plans are being formed and discarded. Despite how much knowledge I have of my gible it doesn't at all account for her personality, obviously and that was a bit of a hurdle. Luckily both my mother and Momma kicked our butts all over the place to get us in line. I may be three, nearly four, but its pretty obvious to all that I'm 'special' in a good way with how much I've been letting my mouth run.

Most people I would imagine would be more cautious but fuck it. If I'm going to break some skulls later in this world I've chosen to aide I can't waste time. That doesn't mean I'm not going to have fun. Oh do I have fun. All the things that people would imagine being a pokémon trainer would be? How awesome it is? It pales to the reality so fucking much. Every day is full of harsh training, sweat, curses and tears at how difficult the next step could be….But then you see this creature who _adores_ you and is under your sway… So cool. I find stating training to be boring, but I think now I have to suck it up and note this down for me to review later.

Lets start with Zaela's nature. When I put down adamant it was to min-max obviously. To make here most powerful moves save draco meteor someday have the biggest stat boost. I should have questioned what it meant for her personality. Mind you, its not that its bad exactly, but that she's very, well, adamant. If she finds a goal, she's stubborn beyond arguing without a damn good reason. I give her a do it cause I tell her when she's set on something? Well, she doesn't budge. Usually its for good reason but explaining that she should wait till her scales are thick as can be in a year to learn endure? Yeah that was a month long argument. I'm never letting her watch league matches again. It wasn't even a fucking dragon that used endure. She just didn't get it and I explained without thinking of the consequences. It took knocking her out for two days in a row constantly to get her into the mindset that she should become stubborn about something else for a while.

Back to my plan though. The ultimate goal for most of my pokémon is terrain control no matter where they are. Zaela hates that we go swimming every other day but I reward her with her favorite foods regularly as bribes. Sandstorm was her first taught move after her egg moves and she's not allowed to let it drop in a fight until she's nearly out. This is the basis of what I want from her. While she'll be massive someday and able to more or less bully other pokémon with simply her size I'm never going to neglect tactics first. Power has a place, but a double team scary face swagger into dig sounds fucking nasty doesn't it? Earth power is the next move in the pool along with flamethrower. Why give her special moves that I purposefully made her weaker to to make her regular attack skyrocket? Terrain control. Moves don't have to be attack-heavy to be useful. Double team, scary face, swagger into dig while a sandstorm is going on. Then earth power and sand tomb to make it even harder to get out and then toss out a sunny day (her next move after flamethrower) to boost her flames and you are cooking her opponent in a furnace she has complete control over. She doesn't have to maintain the flamethrower then. The sandstorm above and the earth she traps them in will trap the heat and even then they need to get past her massive jaws to escape. A bastardized smack down with rock slide/stone edge is a goal for flying types later.

This is why I wanted her seven years before my journey starts (assuming I don't go early like some kids are apparently allowed to). In this I was pretty lucky as her nature means she is all for becoming so strong that we can crush elite teams from the get go. Plus time is a bit slower for most pokémon. Humans almost never outlive the majority of stronger species. So really I can afford to be patient and so can she. Just to clarify, some of the abilities I've stated are tms? Well. My mother is a gym leader and my father is a well known inventor. Guess who is likely responsible for permanent tms in the future? Yep. Dad. Plus Momma knows a shitton of moves from her former Master. Yep. I'm cheating with style.

Back to the training. Between sparring with kingdra's twins and eventually taking on the lower level strains of dragons in the Den and Blackthorn at large, I've started letting Zaela begin making her way through the wild pokémon around the city. It doesn't happen often with me around as I am still three and genius or not (as my parents see it), they put their foot down on a lot of things that I can't blame them for. Aura I might have, but I can't do shit for myself in defense against many things right now. I tire easily compared to an adult, even if I am so much more durable than a normal three year old.

Come to think of it I'm a bit afraid I'm scaring them. I spend most of the day with my starter and never do normal kid things. Then again my father is so odd in the way he thinks that I can understand how mom is the only one who shows real stress. Damnit. I'm going to have to go be a good daughter for a day or so the week. I can't just hang out with mom for training, even if it is the biggest passion for us both. Poor journal-kun. You're in for ages of rambling I sense.

A few more things about pokémon abilities and such. Not just abilities like rough skin (which fucking sucked in Zaela's hyper first few weeks. All she wanted to do is cuddle. I eventually found a way to do it. Its called heavy leather clothing) but in terms of learning and what is written in the pitifully small entries in the game pokédex. Momma can indeed fly, and its glorious. If my parents ever found out how far I've actually been from home, well. Mt. Silver is cool. Lets leave it at that. However, she more or less told me it took her years to be confident enough to actually carry a passenger. Essentially the same way dragonair fly is the way garchomp fly. Dragon energy bullshit.

Earth truly does part for ground types as if they were an earthbender, even if an actual move isn't used. Flying types can act as if they are fighter jets minus actual physics and lets not even get into the bullshit that are ghost types. If it weren't for type energy infused into something ghosts could literally never be harmed. Zaela is _fascinated_ by fire. Dragonbreath is something I wanted her to have because status effects are such a clear trump card against stronger foes that even if her dragon type fire is weak compared to her physical moves, its still something to do to cause issues for an opponent. Yet, another reason she loves fire is that I finally got to meet her sire.

Charizard are cool. And her sire is wild. Where he came from I'm not sure, but if he could beat Momma in a fight? When he showed up to get down again, I assume, Momma for once made it very clear that I was not welcome around her den for a while. Neither was Zaela. Even if I appealed to Momma in ways that I can only call aura influenced I got the feeling that dadbad was infinitely less agreeable. Volatile does not begin to describe her sire. I learned this all after the fact and from seeing the destruction of the area around Momma's den when I was allowed back. Zaela of course just saw how destructive fire is and thus her Furnace combo was born.

Due to how vulnerable she is to ice, way more than fairy, we won't be starting training against it until her evolution in a few years. Due to my next pokémon choice showing up in a few months, and the third a year after that, well. Both will help her immensely against the cute ass fairies. My second pokémon is going to be another slow burn choice and will also help me keep my thoughts my own when I start making more of a name for myself.

Even now I hear whispers about me when we go about the city. It used to be mostly about how cool and bad ass my mom is but its hard to ignore the little doll of a girl who has a massive gible following her around like a puppy. That, by the way, is something I refuse to do. Both dragon tamers and aura guardians do not hide from the world despite its danger. A dragon dares the world to break it. And an aura guardian stands in front of the world to protect it. While in a battle I'm going to be unfair as fuck to my opponents, never will I let my partners feel as if they have to be hidden. Given how rare some of my choices are in this world? It just means I have to be strong. Which was the goal anyway.

The next few months will be more of the same, perfecting what Zaela is fixated on and slowly teaching her how I think. Its hard, true, but I've had a few conversations with mom that suggest I have it way, way easy. I didn't believe her until she showed me some scars from her team that were simply because they misunderstood an order when she couldn't talk to them as well as she thought. Of course she hasn't seen the few scars I have of fangs on my shoulder and neck from similar experiences but...Its very scary. Some of her wounds looked so close to fatal.

I've grown so much closer to her. An early journal about the family more than my pokémon listed her as Hannah and not mom. As if I couldn't see her as such. But she loves me. So much. Dad is there and he adores me in his own way but...Dragons. All who live in the Clan are dragons. Pokémon or not. And my mother is fierce about me being all that I want to be. Ignore the splotch marks here journal-kun.

Zaela's training is somewhat repetitive in one aspect, that she's perfecting the same moves as well as learning new ways to use them. Sand tomb at the base of the lake in our swims makes a fake of sorts whirlpool that is hilarious as a prank. Someday when she's stronger it will be a legitimate strategy. Oh! Rock climb. Muahahah. I had a theory about this place. The dragon's den. And it was gold.

Why are dragons so prevalent here? What about it makes it home? Blackthorn sprung around it. Around dragons already there. Part of it was the natural aura here I think. I can feel it. Life is so full and _here_ in such amounts that I feel like dancing. Me. I hate dancing. So I did some exploring with my digging, rock climbing starter. The reward? Two megastones, a few evolutionary stones and what I _think_ is the fossil of my sixth pokémon. Or at least will be a fossil I can trade for my sixth. I don't know how convoluted my pokémon showing up in my life will be but I assume this is my boon at work. I'll be searching for more over the next few years as they aura of megastones are hard to miss. The rest were just lucky finds. If nothing else I'll be able to sell them for the no doubt massive food issues I'll have later in life.

Hrm. Maybe more hunting training is needed. Regardless, this first year is shaping up so well. Aura training is increasing though Joy's lucario refuses to spar with me yet, stating I've some growing to do. She is however, quite happy to show me more mental aura exercises. Pokémon moves will come in time but for now I'm happy to work on fundamentals. With my next pokémon I'm certain I'll have a breakthrough in some regards...And even if not, the third will ensure it. Two months until my first shiny and the second true monster of my team. Zaela knows I am anticipating something amazing happening and its brought out her competitive side even more than normal. I think I'll push us hard to keep from jumping about obnoxiously about what I know is coming. Bye for now journal-kun.

Now that the beginning has been written I get to talk to you about more fun things. But everything needs a start and stupid exposition. My journey is just over six years away. But I can wait. This world is amazing.

* * *

_Dragon Sister_

Query was the one who decided this was a good present for our trainer. I've never truly gotten along with him as much as my future mate (if I have anything to say about it) but all of us know that Query is the closest to my sister, our trainer. Even now as he uses his mind powers to type this up on the computer I know he's translating my thoughts in ways that will make it easier for Ella to read.

That she's an aura guardian and can talk to us all so easily doesn't me she understands us completely. So Query thought a perfect birthday gift for her on her twentieth birthday would be our views of her when we met. How we became family and something more. The dark one calls it pack. The faeries think of us as beloved companions. Star mates or some nonsense. My mate is too lazy at times despite his genius to say what he truly feels. But it shows in the way his eyes view us. Mmm. Yes, he'll be mine. The true one and the ghost are remarkably the same about it. Both view her as their savior. The true one for being something she never expected and the ghost for giving him a new view on a life he had thought thrown away.

Aurora, my best friend among us. She views Ella as her daughter of sorts. Perhaps it is because she's so much older than us in some ways and is the slowest in nature. When she battles she's the only one who can truly go toe to toe with me. But at all other times she's the most observing of us and easily the most humble. Thunderbug, as he hates to be called, views our trainer in a remarkably easy way. She's his friend and nothing in this world is more important than that. The sea maiden views Ella much the way I do. Perhaps because she carries a very draconic pride, even if she isn't a dragon, the maiden sees just how much my kind influenced the way Ella views the world. And finally the legend.

Query has read all of my sister's words in the battered diary that she always carried. That she knew that each of us would appear before her is certain. But to keep the legend from us as our last teammate? If I didn't love her so much I would have been...Difficult. Claiming the legendary was not how I would have ever expected things to go but from the way the legend views my sister. Even a dragon can be humbled. The legend is quirky and fun. Its so odd. Not what I expected. But the promise my sister made at our bonding is true. Currently I can defeat the legend one on one. Someday that may not be true but for now I can match a force of nature. I am strong. Because of her. My light and sister. Read this now Ella and see what I was and how you and I raised each other.

When I first hatched there was only the vague ideas of what I was before Ella. All pokémon are strong to their nature and absorb ways to power rapidly, especially while in our eggs. Hence unexpected egg a moves. What I absorbed was my sister's warmth. Its sounds sappy and if the faeries were reading this they'd be insufferable. I may be mellow for a dragon but I won't be 'squeed' at. Tch. Much of what I was was a combination of Ella and Momma. How appropriate was it that my sister viewed my mother as a second one to her. Even if that wasn't what she meant, Momma kept it as such. That is why our bond is so strong. Hatchmates even if she's three years my senior.

Instinct is heavy for pokémon at the start. How do we, so much stronger than delicate humans, submit to their will? If found as an egg we imprint hard. Most at least. Ghosts and some of the more mentally strong species can and will go on their own quickly despite humans being there from the start if respect isn't gained. Dragons are prime examples of this as well. Ella feels of warmth, wisdom and power. I didn't know it then until Momma instructed me but aura is sacred….And my sister has it in droves.

Aura is life. I am only as strong as I am because of aura. Every type of pokémon uses it in various ways. My flames are almost entirely formed of draconic energy. Draconic aura. Meaning that my headstrong, infuriating sister was practically screaming to our senses that she only meant good for us. That she'd empower us to new heights and give us all that she could to protect aura. To protect life.

That isn't to say she is perfect. Despite how close we are and were growing up, we clashed a lot. From day one she had her way for me and I had mine. Imprinting on her was easy as stomping some one gym newbie for me (which is hilarious by the way. I don't care if the true one gets huffy about it) but it didn't mean I left my pride behind me. Dragons cannot be tamed. She knew that before I had to teach it to her and it led to the glorious beauty that is me.

The first weeks were not my best. Intelligent as pokémon might be from the start, especially if we're around humans as an egg, absorbing their language, we can still be idiots. My pride can take the hit that I hurt her more than she let on from how much I loved her. Low level tackles were my hugs. Bites were my affection to her neck and arms….And flames were my home. The charizard that is my dad influenced me almost as much as Momma and Ella then. Dreams of burning mountains and flames that hurt to gaze at dominated my nights. Flying became my goal almost as much as those skull brain bagons that I would trap in the ground for disturbing my sleep.

As much as I love the earth, the first time I bent the sky to my will was where I knew what it was to be a true dragon. Nothing is out of my reach. Water, fire, earth and the sky are all mine. Because Ella wouldn't let Momma toss me out. I have another sibling out there with Momma now. A younger brother she's doing her best to raise as Ella did with me. All because my sister refused to compromise as a true dragon would.

Even if he's taking this from my mind now, I think this is a good gift. Good job Query. Most pokémon live in the moment but remembering our trainer is good. Proper. Despite her abilities she's much more frail than us and long past her death I will respect her teachings.

As much as her training and stubbornness were gifts it was the humor that truly made us connect. For some reason one of her most common curses around me is 'damned adamant nature'. Even after she's explained it a few times I don't get it, but it _did_ spawn the team-wide enjoyment that is pranking. It started with double teams of myself chasing her as if she were in a panic in front of the various clan members who said it was too early for her to have a starter. It quickly went to hiding her father's tools when he did something to upset her mother and it just got worse once Query arrived and his ever bothersome questions led to seeing just how much he enjoyed being buried alive. Yes Query I know you don't need air to live but it was still fucking funny seeing your shiny ass dirty all the time.

Back on point. Every day was a joy. Work to become powerful is never a chore to a dragon and I knew nothing of impatience until some of the other members of our family came. There was no concept of travelling. The Den was home because Ella and Momma were there. It was my world and I was growing so strong in it. I'm only to speak of my first year of life before Query came about but here's a bit of the future.

My soon to be mate evolved fully before me and it didn't bother me. Because I am patient. Because years of training and proof that my sister dragged her worn body home every night from doing her best to make us into legends ourselves meant that I could wreck my mate with all his smarts and natural talent from hard as nails, brutal training in only my second form. Oh he can give me a run now. Eventually circumstances set him into being earnest and digging out the true savagery of his line but back then he was just another punk to show what a dragon truly can be. Only now is he worthy of being my mate.

Unlike Momma I don't mind settling for someone just a bit under my strength. If Ella has her way I won't ever lose anyway.

Pride and strength was my life. I didn't know jealousy until Query started taking up some of my sister's time but then the joy of learning new battling trumped that. Humans are fantastically smart. Basing almost all of their entertainment and life around making pokémon stronger in ever new ways? Yes. Ella taught me to that quickly once Query arrived and I started being a bitch about it. Query tells me not to spoil that as its about his growth more than mine.

Well. He's not wrong. For me it was attitude. For him it was a way of battling that revolutionized mental fighting in a way I can respect. Query and I may not get along but we're the two pillars of Ella's team for a Arceus damned reason.

Food was plentiful and I wanted for nothing. Later I learned that not all humans knew how to take care of pokémon as well as my sister. Not everyone could use aura and talk to me. It wasn't until ages later when I defeated an elder with relative ease as a gabite that I realized how spoiled I was growing up. She brought me all the right things to aid me. She toiled endlessly into the day and night when I was hurt to get me back into training as soon as I could. My sister loved me in all my moods and never truly got angry with me. Sure, frustration was present on both sides but never did anything keep her from sharing her whole life with me.

I was _so _spoiled. I thought the entire world was perfect and it took many years for us to become better than just strong. At least the pokémon that is. Ella always knew what to do. Perhaps not the right thing at times. Mistakes were made as she so often says in jest, and they were spectacular but always did she take her blame for it and never did she hide from us. Negative or good, we were together.

Early training was against my instincts. I had a big mouth and lots of teeth. I wanted to bite and did. My sister didn't know how to get her view of making me strong into my mind until she made me fight Momma. I expected Momma to just smack me with her wing and glare me down. Instead she battered me in a sandstorm, buried me in sand that formed into rock I couldn't break and made me so mad I would hurt myself before I even got close to her. Then when I did? It was an illusion and it started all over. Days of this treatment got into my thick skull and power came in droves after I just _listened._

I'll never be more grateful for this and this alone besides the love of my sister. Power is something all pokémon crave in some manner. Even the cute ones I could eat thirty of in one gulp who ride around on the shoulders' of their humans. They might simply want the power of being cute little things but it _is_ power. Ella and I taught so much to each other that first year.

I never really interacted with many other humans besides her family, some of the clan and the few times I actually wanted to go out into the city. Usually if Ella went out I'd just train more with Momma. It was all I wanted to do, really, When I did go out though, amusement and surprise were most present. First off, my sister was pathetically small then. Even among humans her age. And all other small humans were infinitely stupid. I was **Ella's** and that is all. You'd think a city with a dragon gym would know that to try and play with a dragon, no matter if my trainer was a child is folly. Only later would I realize that if I'd actually attacked the small ones I could have been taken from my sister. Luckily she watched me like a hawk and kept me from making a mistake I would regret.

Not because I wouldn't find satisfaction in educating the stupid child humans. But because I would be away from her. The kind ones in our family are Query and the faeries. People should know not to tempt monsters. And that is what we are. It is not a bad thing. Ella calls us something about massive destruction and it is quite true. She crafted us into who we are. True, we put in the work, but my beloved sister did it with our heartfelt consent.

Furnace is a fun combo. I have many more these days but taking on a massive overconfident opponent and roasting them alive until they tap out? Beautiful. I am smart. I am powerful. I am titan. It took a while for me to accept this fully in that order. That before everything I am smart. Ella was right to not introduce me to more battling early on. Patience without knowing what it was was an excellent weapon for her to plant in my mind.

The few battles I have were always training oriented and didn't have any other prizes besides satisfaction of new strength and learning new moves. If she'd let me see more of her mother's top tier gym battles or even more league recordings? I'm certain I would have pushed to leave on our journey immediately. I didn't know what true battle was like until Aurora and her evil type advantages could do to me. Don't get me wrong, the first fairy was more annoying than a thousand itchy scales but she didn't have the bulk or power to truly threaten me…..And Furnace works just fine on her. Heh.

No, the sweetness of defeating Aurora the first time after being put into the dirt so _many_ times was exactly what opened my eyes to how excited I was to see new things finally. To turning away from, yes, the fear of leaving the Den. Query is telling me that he's annoyed that he's noticed all of us have picked up Ella's tendency to ramble and go off on tangents. Psh. What's wrong with that? I speak of what I wish and that is it. All my words are important. Idiot.

Our relationship with Momma was what made this all work. To build a family that wasn't right by usual standards. What I couldn't learn from Ella in ways that all trainers struggle with was easily rectified by Momma. Another thing in which I boggled at later. Silly me. Apparently not every pokémon had a Champion level mother who adored their daughter and her trainer enough to train them constantly for seven years. Query is laughing at me. He forgets he hasn't won a spar with me in nearly a month. Yes I know you are writing that down. I want you to. Mmm. I feel like going to find the would be mate.

Fine. Just a bit more Query. But Ella knows how I feel. All these thoughts aren't getting to her now cause she's asleep, but you can sense it can't you? She's smiling because she knows I love her more than anything. Our bond is everything. I'd kill the world for her….And I guess you too Query. And all of us. Even the ghost. Shit that he is.

What can I say to you Ella? That you don't already feel. I beat a legendary a week ago. In a spar. Because she's your pokémon just as I am. Tears don't come to my species but the joy of that is so permeable that I can't describe how humbled I am of what we've done. I know you would say we did it together and that its our duty. The goal that the true one showed us all those years ago. You say we meet your apprentice in a few weeks. The one you've been preparing the true one's child for. But all I can think of is the girl I could snap in two telling me she loved me and that I would become greater than my dreams.

I have sister. Thank you.

* * *

**I've edited this as much as I can so far but I'm sure I'll be coming back in the next few days and re-reading to make sure. I have so little experience with formatting its not even funny. Expect a lot of re-edits. **

**The story is going to be long and more about thoughts than events right now. Later, once I've gotten all the various characters fleshed out? That's when things will start to get fun to imagine. But for me, when I played pok****é****mon ****it was about thinking of how my partners would be. Of who they'd become to me. Zaela and Ella are somewhat similar due to how close their bond is. That's more or less deliberate. Everyone from now on is much more divergent. Or hopefully will be.**

**This is still meant to explore my story than it is to be a perfect work or such nonsense. That said, I'm already itching to introduce Query to this mess! And now for that helpful list of her pok****é****mon that only one has really been introduced! Due note these are the moves they know from Ella's viewpoint in the past. Future bad assness is for much later in the story.**

_**1- ****Zaela ****the ****King**** Gible (Female)**_

_**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**_

_**Nature: Adamant**_

_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragonbreath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, ****Double Team. Dig**_

_**Combination Moves: Furnace (****Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit)**_

_**E****lla's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_

_**2- Query the ****Shiny ****? (Male?) **_

_**Likely Psychic ****and meant to help keep Ella's secrets as well as translate for the team.**_

_**3- True one the ? (Female)**_

_**Combat medic and mediator.**_

_**4- Fairy number one the ? (Female)**_

_**Provide coverage and to help train Zaela against her type. **_

_**5- Zaela's would be mate the ****shiny**** ? (Male)**_

_**Lazy as fuck because he's too talented for his own good. ****Transportation eventually and good battler when he gets his act together. Maybe.**_

_**6- Aurora the ? (Female)**_

_**Zaela's best friend. Mother hen. ****Powerhouse and somewhat of a tank. Knows electric moves?**_

_**7- "Thunderbug" the ? (Male)**_

_**Is not actually a bug type. The group just likes to eff with him. **_

_**8- Dark one the ? (Male, even if it wasn't stated)**_

_**Possibly the most dangerous.**_

_**9- Fairy number two the ? (Female, also not stated)**_

_**Dedicated healer and transportation specialist. No jokes here. She's the best.**_

_**10- Ghost the ? (Male)**_

_**Not much know. Other than he's got stereotypical ghost ideas. In other words, can be an ass. Also possibly dangerous. But seriously. Ghost. Big duh.**_

_**11- Water Maiden the ? (Female)**_

_**Tank of some variety. Prideful as fuck.**_

_**12- Legend the ? (Female)**_

_**Literally a legendary. Seriously. Its happening. Ella's ultimate goal for proof of her path to the world. Loses to Zaela a lot supposedly. For now.**_


	2. Ch 2- Dreamer and Teacher

**Very excited about this chapter. Query is probably my favorite pokémon or at least his final stage. So much of this process is new to me. The reason I'm writing it as a journal is its easier to let my writing style grow as Ella's does. The are actually way easier to write for. Enough of this. Query awaits. If you noticed the gender on the last chapter next to Query's entry it will be explained by his entry after Ella.**

**Disclaimer- Don't own nuthin' of pokémon. Just my ocs in here!**

* * *

Dreamer

Year Two

So I've learned a few things. One, growing up still sucks and as expected Beldum are fucking boring to raise in a traditional sense. They can learn five moves total. Five! Query is beautiful and shiny and _actually_ shiny but holy mother of...This curse doesn't work anymore on this world. Blah. Metagross are amazing and I can't wait for Query to grow into one. As of now though? He's more or less a flying reflective mirror that hovers right over my shoulder no matter what I'm doing. Training him as I do Zaela sucks primeape balls.

That said, boon number four gave me all I really need to know to make him into a rival for Zaela. Psychic types do not follow normal aspects of increases of strength save the few ones that have a fighting type associated with them. Even Query's steel aspect have no muscles to pump their own iron with. What really matters is pretty obvious when you think about it. The mind. Metagross are basically supercomputers with legs. I'm getting ahead of myself. Lets get Query's pokédex entry I wrote out of the way.

_Query the Beldum (Shiny)_

_Nature: Quirky_

_Ability: Clear Body_

_Moves: Zen Headbutt, Iron Head, Headbutt, Iron Defense, Take Down_

Five moves! Argh! Still, it will be worth it in time. A few notes. I picked quirky because I don't want a boring Iron Leg monster when he's all grown up. The whole hive mind thing sounds interesting but I want him to be open to new ideas. Plus a neutral nature hopefully will work well with my plan to give him a combat style I haven't heard considered before. Much like Zaela uses her weaker moves to great effect and has her physical prowess to fall back on, Query is going to use his lesser abilities to absolutely demolish his opponents' calm.

Bah! I didn't go back far enough. Time to tell the story of how I got a shiny beldum. Cause there are none in Johto. Thank you Fate. Short story, my father did it. Longer story to commence after I go get Zaela and Query started on her training. Turns out her iron head attack is atrocious. Query will delight in making her bash boulders for the morning. Back shortly.

A short minute and realization later.

All my journal entries are stupidly short behind each other or months apart. I don't know if I'm going to enjoy it when Query can read my chaotic mind all the time. Back to him and away from self realizations please.

Dad has a lot of connections. The more I pay attention to it the more it _has_ to be my boon of Destiny at work. Not only will I be able to find easy ways to help my future goal of Guardians with the tech dad just by himself can develop but I'm going to shamelessly steal his phone book and use my currently adorable chibi form to charm all his super powerful buddies. If he wasn't so stupidly absent minded I'm sure we'd be mega rich. Wait.

I have really high quality clothing and I've _never_ seen mom pay a bill or worry about anything but dad and I. Are we rich? Crap. Snooping must be done later. Seriously, all about Query now.

Dad gets a lot of shipments from Devon mostly but a few from Silph. I should know. I've pilfered a lot of them the second I could crawl. I've pachirisued away quite a few pokéballs away for my team over the years. All of them premier balls. Not just because they are awesome looking but because other than Zaela, none of the others will be linked to me until I become an actual trainer. And based on the success I'm having so far in the slow crawl I'm not going to try and go on my journey early.

So! I got my dad to affix a thumbprint lock on Zaela's regular old pokéball then asked if he could figure out how to work that on others. Several boxes of him trying this later led to my filched pokéballs being sneakily pushed into his hands randomly to get the same treatment. Honestly its probably not even needed but from how desperately I already love Zaela and Query, being proactive about their safety is paramount.

Scroll back to deliveries from Devon. This should be fairly easy to deduce. The Metagross line have a strong history with the Stones much as my Clan are dragon tamers. While not as famous as us, it is not at all rare to see anyone with the last name Stone with Metangs or such floating behind them. The way Query showed up fits his personality as I know now but seems like a very cheap way for Fate to give me him.

I had all these crazy ideas about meeting a tiny Steven Stone who was so very polite and nice. After Cynthia he's my favorite Champ after all. But nooooooo. Father was working a bit on fossil tech. Not the actual revival method but a way of detecting them easier. Maybe that's setting up my sixth choice later? I do still have the fossil that Zae and I dug up a few months back. Thoughts for later. No, Query, as you might think from the name asks a lot of questions.

Evidently his quirky nature makes for a very curious and bright beldum. Lack of moveset aside, he's an absolute joy to be around from the warmth of his emotions. Beldum are still smart but he literally can't figure out a different way to speak just yet so its back to emotions and concepts. Long story longer, Query got curious about the scanning device, which looks somewhat like another shiny beldum and got himself teleported to my dad's lab. Dad is _impatient_ when he has an idea as I wrote a while back. So he hires various psychic types for delivery.

Come to think of it. That's another clue to potential rich girl status.

Whatever the case, this just made Query even more curious (how the hypno didn't sense Query tagging along I don't know) about what happened and a few hours later and he was quietly and pleasantly watching Zaela and I prank Lance again. It was the last I had planned for last year's Clair hair pulling fiasco so I had to make it a good one. Zaela actually likes Lance so it was more or less her doing it to aid in my spite. I think she sees it as dragony. Afraid to ask to be honest.

So Lance is walking along without a care in his redheaded jerkface and bam, Furnace without the burning. Quicksand more or less until his head is the only part of his body sticking out of the ground and Zaela's most underpowered sandstorm to make it look like he traveled all the way to the beach in an instant. Incidentally every one of our payback pranks have been messing up his hair so the little (even if he is much taller than me) shit gets the message.

My lovely beldum thought this was amazing and simply had to figure out how we did it. Of course I knew exactly who he was and what would happen but the reality of my dear Query is so incredibly greater than the fantasy. Much as Zaela is my other half in many ways, Query is my inspiration. From the first moment of feeling his joy at new things its put a fire in my heart to let him see all that he wishes. And yes, despite no actual gender he is a 'he' to me. There is something distinctly male about the way his emotions feel. Perhaps later when he has evolved and understands concepts better I'll come back and amend this. [This is me amending. He is a he. And its such a deeply personal realization of his that I refuse to write it down as he says he'd rather do that himself someday when he's a Metagross.]

Now. A rare shiny pseudo legendary was mine. Was this going to be allowed? No. At least that's what it looked like when my mother caught us some few hours later. She's going to go gray before I enter my teenage years isn't she? Dad's reaction was to ask if Query had precise enough abilities in later life to help him with microscopic welding. I think mom mad him his least favorite foods for a week after.

It turns out that all the stereotypes you'd expect for me not having yet another potential walking (floating) disaster as my pokémon was trumped by a few factors. One, when dad was forced to call Devon they more or less told him that Query was pretty renowned for flying off on his own and had refused the few trainers who sought to take him from their hive? Cloister? The floating ball of beldum, metang and metagross. The ball. Yeah. That's irreverent enough. The ball of beldum. Heh.

The Fate-driven bs that this is meant that his apparent fascination with yours truly and my increasingly hard to hide King's Nature gible sent a few of my dad's more pokémon oriented friends into a tizzy and led to a visitor to Blackthorn that became both the first non-clan permanent resident (Our Joy married into the clan ages ago. Her wife is my languages teacher) and someone who I'm almost positive will get me my fourth or fifth pokémon. His name is Sampson Oak and damn is he cool. I know someday in the future he'll be leaving us for Alola but for now he's going to study how a four year old is able to tame two of the most notoriously powerful non-legendaries.

The name Oak carries so much power in this world. Its a bit unbelievable really. Dad is beside himself despite knowing that Sampson is more of a hands on researcher than his cousin the utterly famous Professor. Sure, its sixteen years until Ash leaves on its journey but Samuel Oak was a champion who upon retirement immediately started writing amazing pieces of research he was obviously writing on the side while training. From there it was startling new technology. Due note the current pokédex is the size of a desktop tower from the late nineties in my old world and is in no way portable. I _might _have an original gameboy block of one when my journey comes about if I get my dad interested in seeing if he can reduce it in size.

But yes, Sampson looks in his late thirties now though people here age weird. Mom is in her forties and looks in her late twenties. I don't get it. The first few weeks of his presence were careful hands off study of Zaela and Momma as well as seeing how Query fit in. I'm sure there was a lot more to it I didn't notice as my priorities are my team despite how much I wanted to pick the man's brain. Dad though was in heaven. I don't think either of them went to sleep before 2 am each night till mom started putting her foot down. Anyway, more plotting on how to get him to introduce me to his cousin later. He'll eventually branch out to more of the Dragon's Den to study anyway.

Query took to us slowly in the way I was looking for. As a friend and something more. Family. Luckily my knowledge on my line gives me the perfect way to get him to a metang early on. It won't harm his overall potential as again, most psychics don't grow physically until after they gain mental advantages. Query would need a lot of odd supplements and minerals to his diet but active thinking of his magnetic brain is what would cause spurts of power. Refinement is where his line truly gains ability.

Know those pokémon entries that tell a snippet of behavior and such? For metang and metagross it says they are more or less hive minds and merge to evolve. This is true but my Fate-won info dump tells me the path to the crazy powerful champion level power I need to gain. How do two metagross combine to make a beldum? They kind of build them with 3-D printing. They process is started with all that makes up their durable bodies and they section off parts of their minds, essentially cutting out their psychic selves and molding them into a new being so very similar to them both as they are literally themselves.

Query though is going to do that by himself, making a clone of his form. Oh beldom and metang _do_ evolve for their trainers in battle or the normal ways like the game but its very slow because they don't have another of their line to help them. While beldum who evolve with other beldum can potentially reach their final form faster than alone they are quite a bit less powerful due to the slightly different mental signatures involved. Going back to the computer analogy. Imagine putting four different cores in a quad chip? Very, very similar enough that it works well but on the same theme you'd much prefer the same exact cores to make things more smooth. And psychics are all about power through efficiency. At least I think that's how cores work. Whatever. The idea came across.

Champion level metagross are slow to form but once Query knew what I wanted for him I was his and he was mine. A month or so after he arrived into my life and after my mom had finally given up on trying to separate us (most of this was Query being boringly more responsible about safety than Zae and me) a random Stone dweeb came to try and coax Query back. This led to today's training in Iron Head. The Stone dweeb _had_ a car. Query was very put out when that idiot man tried to toss a pokéball at him.

Luckily it missed or they would have asked a lot of hard questions as to why Query's premier ball was well, his. Technically I'm not supposed to have it. I think. Fuck. I should go find this out now. It might save me a lot of hassle. Back in a bit journal-kun.

A few infuriating hours later.

I'm mentally in my middle twenties and still an idiot. I can have as many pokémon as I want as long as I take care of them and don't neglect them. That means making sure they are fed, providing them with a drive and generally not being a dick. Also, confirmation. We're rich. Not stupid billionaire rich but if I wanted I could do nothing for the rest of my life easily. Not that mom would allow that come to think of it. The talk with dad (As I didn't want mom to figure out I caught Query just yet) went like this.

"Daaaaad. When I become a trainer can I have more than six pokémon at a time? And what if I find a friend like Query before I go on my journey? Can I catch them and keep them?" You don't know this journal-kun but I can be pretty unobservant about things not directly related to my pokémon. So now that you know what happened next should come as no shock.

"You should know some of this Ella-bella (I hate this nickname). Didn't you catch Query with one of those pokéballs you had me modify a few months ago?" A few things to note here. One, my father didn't think what I did was wrong at all as it was an interesting problem for him to solve and thus was quite pleased I took advantage of his work. Two, he does this shit all the time where he knows what is going on but it has such a low priority on his list that it almost never comes up until someone shoves it directly in his face.

Since he was working on a new water heater of all things for the dratini to use in the winter he didn't see my gaping face or shocked eyes. I'm sure it was hilarious looking. Whatever the case most of the conversation went into me interrogating my dad for all the info I wanted. There is no real internet in this world yet so a lot of this was covered in the school I would be starting in a few years. So yes, I get to have as many pokémon as I like so long as I take care of them and the six carry limit is only really for official league events. I would have to register my chosen team before any gym battle or conference. Private matches can be pretty much whatever they like. While there aren't pokédex yet for trainers there are more or less flip phone sort of tablets that link to your trainer ID.

Any sort of battle has to be logged so if someone does something stupid there is proof of who is at fault or at least a better picture for officials. This only really comes into play with teams past a particular plateau of power. I expect with the way things are going that I'll be at that level before I even start traveling. Which actually pleases my mother immensely. Once she saw me as more than a small child (and aura user but we'll get to that when number three shows up next year) then all she wanted were for my partners to be able to crush literally anything they come across.

Another thing I pressed my dad for are how to register my pokémon past just the thumbprint I have on their pokéballs. Another face palm moment was that every person born is automatically given a trainer ID due to how integral pokémon are to our world. Even if a person only ever catches a pokémon as a pet they will have it automatically registered the second they are in range of a league appointed building such as gyms or pokémon centers. Since Joy's house doubles as a center both Query and Zaela are already under my record. I did find out that since I'm not officially a trainer that my record is sealed to a certain level of authority and I can't have official battles until I am actually a trainer. Training is fine, but no fighting others, yet in ways that matter. If I were caught battling against another trainer before I was official in any way other than a friendly spar? Biiiiiig consequences.

Luckily my mother is a gym leader. I very much wonder if she'll remain that until Clair takes over in a decade or so. More on Clair later. Bit of a spoiler. She's my favorite person outside Nurse Joy and my parents.

Back to Query! After being assured that he was mine and only mine I set about discovering what he needed to evolve. Energy for psychics are all about advancement of selves. Some mental revelation that causes their already powerful minds to flex in ways not expected. Every single beldum could evolve into a metagross today. If they had some moment of perfect clarity and _knew_ themselves perfectly they could unleash their potential in an instant. Why doesn't it happen? Because its very difficult for their minds to handle the strain and frankly its almost spiritual to know yourself. Which for most psychics is incredibly difficult. The gardevoir line are experts at knowing themselves. Their empathy and bond to their trainer can cause rapid growth to protect what they hold dear.

For Query I could almost see his revelation from the start. Every part of his viewpoint is filled with bright thoughts and honest care to understand the world around him. It brings an incredible amount of intimacy between us already. If I'm upset he knows. Not because he can feel it but because he studied me so very perfectly. If double battles become a big thing for us Query is going to be the king of them.

Another aspect I didn't expect was how...Brutal he can be. I must have forgotten that in a few pokédex entries they talk a lot about the beldum line and their prey. While raised among humans for the most part, the instincts of a pokémon become very apparent when in hunt. Query's way of attacking is constantly pushing his body into iron defense and basically using himself to beat something to death.

Why? Its efficient and Zaela said she liked her meat tender. Oh Query knows what morals are, as much as his simple interactions are so far, but because my dragon liked her kills the way she said he forwent using his as of yet weak psychic abilities and turned himself into a food preparation tool for my starter. It would be rather terrifying for me if I didn't feel how good it makes him feel to be useful and we only really fight game animals and perhaps a few of the more animal-like bugs in the forests around Momma's den.

Oh! Momma loves Query. He respects her immensely and refuses to look her in they eye until she gives him permission. After probably hundreds of years of idiot clan members not giving her the proper due, a rival for her daughter's power openly showed her that he doesn't in any way consider himself a better. There was a lot left out in the conversation which just makes me want to push my aura translation abilities even more but I do know that Momma came out purring with satisfaction. Later I'd more or less get it that she was pleased for _me, _her second daughter of this age.

I got a bit choked up there. I knew she liked me, but that sentiment means she'd bury the country to keep me safe. Usually such closeness between dragons occur much later in life when the offspring truly proves themselves. Okay. Time to go figure out Query a bit more and figure out what to work on when he evolves. Don't expect an update for a few months.

Three or so months later.

So many things to talk about. First off Query evolved and I'll get into that as much as I can. My shiny metang has been telling me so much whenever he can so it'll be a long list. Second thing is that my father is totally absorbed into making my smaller pokédex and due to the both amazing and silly game laws that govern this world mean that he'll likely finish in less than a year. I got an eye roll when I asked if he'd have one ready by the time I went on my journey.

Before I get to number three and four nifty things I should note that I am _very_ glad our family isn't famous. Sampson is without a doubt interesting and has so much to teach me but when he questions about my partners it does get tiring. Ash got around this in the anime by being on the run all the time and all his other pokémon that he kept at the Oak ranch probably kept the good professor busy. Unlike me. Who has to stay within Blackthorn.

I prefer it here, but one more conversation about Zaela's slightly different stripes than most gible and I might be tempted to see if Momma can fly us to an old training ground for when she was on her journey.

Speaking of Sampson, he identified my fossil after he kept the fact that I was an aura user a secret until I told him. Boring as he can be the man is….Good. I can feel it. Aura is coming easier each day but the practice is very, very boring. Really. I don't even want to write it. Its just meditation over and over cause Joy's lucario (No nickname sadly) says I have to wait two more years when I'm six before she'll even consider sparring with me. Really journal-kun. It would just be like-

Today I meditated by the beach for three hours when Zaela went into food coma and Query decided to see how power lines worked with my dad.

Today I meditated by the house out of sight while my partners terrorized Lance's new starter. He's six. So I guess he's a prodigy too. Bleh.

Okay maybe this is interesting due to my pokémon's antics. Whatever. No more aura training talk until  
I have a breakthrough. That should happen a lot with number three's arrival in nine or so months. The fossil though. It sure is number six and I have no idea how they ended up buried here. As far as I know my fossil pokémon would be a natural enemy to most dragons.

As to the fourth nifty thing? Joy's wife is having children! They're going to be cute and I'm going to get them the best companion pokémon ever possible. I don't know who donated to the couple but Joy's lucario said she had to leave home for a while due to excessive celebration. I am fine with this as lucario are just fucking cool and having one help both my pokémon train in steel type energy is beyond helpful.

I'm dancing around Query's evolution because I'm not exactly sure how much I'm comfortable saying for him. Perhaps just talking about the event is enough until he decides otherwise. Like Zae and I bonding the emotions and feelings that caused his breakthrough are intensely for us and us alone. Even with how close we are journal-kun. I wonder if my stupid name for you will make me roll my eyes at myself later.

Enough stalling. Training with Zaela is progressing in new ways. We've gone into new moves involving they newly taught stealth rock and rock slide which eventually with her growing mastery of sandstorm is going to create a tornado of pain. Pain Whirl is the name and when she learns mud-slap it will mean her victims will be smacking stealth rocks while trying to dodge rock slides. When she eventually evolves fully add a flying garchomp into the mix and you can see how she's quite happy to continue to use mostly special attacks for now.

How does this lead to Query evolving? Well he's the guinea pig for some of the combo due to being immune to a lot of the initial damage and its good training for his levitation to dodge stealth rocks. IT was then that I found out just how sheltered he was before joining us. More or less the pulse of curiosity at why we were training so hard since he joined us roughly two months before this day was surprising.

Query had never heard or felt pokémon battles. Due to being shiny he was isolated by the Stone family rather quickly and quickly most of them tried to bond with him without really letting him grow as he wished. Being the agreeable fellow he is the training we were doing, which initially interested him was more along the lines of he'd never seen fire attacks before or even earth power. It was beyond fascinating to him.

Considering how long it took him to ask why we were doing this he must have enjoyed learning about all that we could do. Momma especially come to think of it. Explaining that most pokémon, dragons in particular, battled quite a bit to prove themselves, win competitions or in our case, eventually create a force for good in the world. Zaela, while sold on my idea, mostly liked it because she'd get to stomp bad people with extreme violence. Adorable, my massive little sister is.

That I could use aura resonated with Query as it was one of the few things he did know of as most pokémon do. Perhaps its instinctual with most pokémon? He won't tell me exactly what hit him the most but I think its that I was going to change the world. That's my ultimate goal. The concept of it. Not the dream, but the concept pushed him to think hard about what he could be. That's a simple concept for humans. The idea of being more in ways that we take for granted. Hope for the future. A goal.

Pokémon live mostly for the moment. Oh sure, they might wish to evolve and become the strongest of their kind but you don't see pokémon innovating city structure or creating new medicine. Query, my dear boy, wants to change the world in a way he won't speak of but the drive echos in his thoughts when he shares them. Determination and a desire for his goal. This is what makes him my inspiration. My pokémon wants to innovate.

So yes, Query evolved because of an ideal. Sampson was there when it happened. It must have been odd, me talking to my floating claw monster and then pulse of energy before he became double claw monster. It led to more conversations and I secured a promise to meet his cousin in exchange for studying Query for a bit. This of course was utter bull shit again. Something I don't remember being as good at in my previous life. First, Query loves learning so he'd hang around Sampson anyway just for fun and second, my first evolution with one of my family? You bet I'm having Sampson make sure everything went well.

Even if I have all sorts of knowledge about what I would need for my team members it doesn't qualify me as a doctor. Luckily my boy was planning for this for a while.

Query had been eating more and more materials at night (beldum don't really need sleep) in preparation for his evolution ahead of time. He just needed that push of self.

None of this means he doesn't want to be a metagross of staggering ability, but just as Zaela is rather passionate about new music when she's not training, my metang tends to pour over my father's books. Anything and everything. I can't wait to see what he'll come up with. He might not even have a goal yet. Just a knowing of himself that he'll have one. Psychic pokémon are odd.

My plan for Query and his path to power worked better than I could have ever hoped for. The fighting style I'd always dreamed of for him works so well its unfair. When he's a metagross I don't think any pokémon will be able to beat him in a close combat fight. Once he learns a few fighting moves things will get brutal even for dark types.

Upon evolution he gained physical and mental capabilities that I was going to guide him to exploit. The first moves were confusion and metal claw but really they were just the start of what I wanted. Sure, I had him work on them but I raided my mom's tm case and taught Query psychic first and foremost. It would be the basis of his in your face prowess.

Query had two brains now, both able to think and mesh flawlessly in gestalt to incredible levels of awareness. The metagross line are very much more physical fighters than special even if they can grow into it. What I wanted from Query is something he simple _adored_. My boy loves to observe. So what I wanted was him to concentrate on the center of gravity of his opponents with one of his brains at all times. This led to him learning gravity by accident but that was a part of the plan anyway in the long run. I just didn't think he'd get it down before becoming a metagross.

Psychic is basically force push, crush and all the odd telekinetic abilities you could think of in one. Most psychics use it as crush or to make their opponents helpless. For Query I had him practice for almost the first full month of learning psychic by creating the smallest but most dense push possible. Then I had him imagine it as a cone tapering into a pointed spear point or at least as close as he could. When he could drill a hole into rock I showed him what I wanted him to do.

Imagine running at my Query, readying an attack and having an invisible psychic spear hit you in the exact place to make you lose balance just as an equally precise strike from a bullet punch hits you in your new center to spin you into a third strike. This turns every attack into a very probably critical. Critical strikes in this world are if you hit someone where they are weak. What Query will be able to do is cause criticals constantly once he's learned how to use this idea efficiently. When he evolves fully? Imagine constant critical meteor mashes and hammer arms, tossing someone into the air and never landing until its down for the count.

The results of a week of trying out this new concept? Zaela can't beat Query up close. _Momma_ hates sparring with him up close. Not that he can do much damage to her but he started using psychic to toss his center of gravity whenever she tried to hit him at sparring speed. Unless she actually started trying a little she couldn't knock him out up close easily anymore. She was quite annoyed.

Zaela still beats the shit out of Query with her combo moves but its only a matter of time before my boy will be giving her a run for the money in all situations.

The thing is, as amazing as the potential of this fighting style is, its nothing compared to how I'm planning to have him be the field commander of our group. There is zero chance that I won't get into battles that don't follow civilized rules. The next two moves for Query to master are ally switch and psych up. If you were sentient journal-kun I would imagine you'd know a bit of what I'm planning. Anyway, time to go drag mom into helping kingdra teach Zaela rain dance. Probably a longer time before update. Dunno.

So things are happening many moons later….

Ignore me being dramatic journal-kun. Its been a bit. Few updates before I talk about why I'm really here. Zaela is almost the size of an above average gabite as a gible. That means my starter is five feet tall in her first form. Its absolutely impossible to hide her nature and mom has her older dragonite constantly shadowing us at all times. It makes sense, someone tried to take her. More on that later.

To continue about her growth she is roughly three times a normal gible's weight and she should evolve next year then take quite a long time to get to a garchomp. Her teeth are big and scary and she wants everyone to know. While her abilities haven't increased too much power-wise her control is becoming devious. Almost all of her sand and ground based moves can be made without any visual indication they are occurring. Also, she's learned far more words and concepts….Perhaps because of how brainy Query can sound.

She can regularly defeat any of the dragons in their second forms who were born even years before her but only those who don't have trainers. The few spars she's allowed as such show us how far we have to go. Oh it gets close but she doesn't yet have the massive physical power she'll get with evolution. I'll admit I'm afraid the gym circuit won't challenge us on our journey. I'm truly cheating the fuck out of this system. It is highly likely I'll have two fully evolved pseudo-legedaries before I even start my journey.

Query has nearly mastered his fighting style and I'm very curious if I ever get to a dojo if they'll ask to add it as a new discipline as Query really does treat it as almost meditation. The one fun bit that Zaela and Query have together when we're not working on their abilities is something they call rock and wreck. Basically Zaela tosses as many boulders at Query at once as she can and he dances his way through them with Psi-Fist as he calls his style. It is _his_ style as well. I may have come up with the idea but he was the one who had to make it work.

Theoretically there is no cap to the possibilities of his style. The four brains he'll have as a metagross make me shake in excitement at what he could do. While he has learned the moves I wanted him to I've not asked him to do so past that as he does seem to be innovating by himself and really, mastering a move for a psychic has a much longer road than most types but it always ends with exponential rewards. The only thing I've tried to push him towards is adding a fighting attack to his style. Brick break is what we agreed on and he has it workable if not perfect.

Back to gravity, psych up and ally switch. Ally switch is pretty self explanatory. A surprise metagross in battle when you're after one of my eventually smaller or more delicate pokémon sounds terrifying right? Its more than that though. I'll have three pokémon that will have healing moves but two I want dedicated to it. Both will be fairly mobile but a uber-observant multi-brained field commander who can instantly switch out a hurt ally closer to the medics? Or to combo moves in ways I haven't yet dreamed of?

And gravity? The ability to pull all those pesky flying types easily within range of Zaela's terrain of doom?

Yeaaaah. Warm feelings. Add to that psych up which can abuse higher level opponents who likely will run stat boosts constantly and it'll be fantastic to see what we can do.

Right. So what I want to write. This is purposeful tangents journal-kun. I almost lost my starter. Pretty sure mom would have been able to get her back but its a bit of a hit in the chin so to speak. I sound mature here. Right? For the most part. But I'm a four, nearing five year old girl. As much as I have strength and amazing pokémon who even now could probably take on most gym teams… I'm small. Tiny even. Given my mom's build that'll change but for now its...Jarring.

I gloss over it a lot but really. I'm a child. So very much a child. If this weren't the pokémon world where they let ten year olds go off on their own in a world of dangerous monsters I can't imagine I'd ever be given the freedom I do have, supposed genius or not.

So that Stone asshole. Turns out he was the smart type of scumbag. Query was _his_ in his mind so he hired someone to take what he wanted. Mind you, this asshole was quickly tossed out by the Stones after this incident and also a promise of whatever we would like from them as an apology for our distress...Which I'm going to likely see if they can revive my sixth when its time….But. I almost lost her.

Ignore blotches here again journal-kun.

So the thief Mathew hired. (What type of scumbag is named Mathew?) This lady was good. She posed as courier for a few weeks and did her best to worm her way into seducing one of the gym trainers. She didn't quite succeed but it was amusing and awkward enough that it endeared her subtly to the clan. Just a bit.

I've scorned to hide my team within the Den and near the gym but I'm seriously considering just going out into the forests for a while and becoming a wildgirl hermit. The thief saw Zaela and I training with my shiny metang and knew that her score had come.

Two days later there was fire, violence and a real wake up call that while I have a lot going for me I can be punched out by probably any teenager much less a fully grown professional thief. I'm paranoid certainly and a bit worried how this will make me more but even I wasn't expecting someone to make it into the heart of the Den and be this bold.

There are a lot of things going for me. My family, my team, Momma and aura. The winner of the hour? Joy's lucario. Want to know why each Joy looks like each other folks? I have a theory. The ceremony to bond Zaela and I was mystical. Beyond explanation and science. I can't go into it more still it gets me thinking. Every single Joy is trusted by violent, wild pokémon just as much as tame. My theory is that when they gain a partner that they have some sort of mystical bond from some legendary ages ago. Chansey and Blissy heal so Joys gain incredible abilities to do so as well. Or in our Joy's case? Bad assery.

I think its an accord of sorts to protect the world in a different way than guardians do. Joy's lucario is not a battler in the traditional sense. She's a medic and meant to get in and fast to heal pulse something long enough to get the pokémon to a center. That isn't to say she's any less a bad ass protector of aura. And feeling me screaming out in panic at the thought of never seeing my starter again? Not only did she understand and feel my distress while I was unconscious but she tracked down the thief with Joy keeping pace.

Imagine that. A delicate calm, lovely and caring woman who regularly treats the world as her family beating the shit out of the thief. I didn't wake up to feel Zaela's pokéball placed in my hand but I'm told I was tossing and turning until it was there. Query, luckily had been up late with my dad randomly for some reason I don't care about now so she got his empty pokéball and not him. She was committed the second she knocked me out though so couldn't search for him. Usually Zaela sleeps with Momma since my room doesn't really have the space for her anymore. There are plans for renovation to change this that are being rushed now.

Hence, once a week she stays in her ball to be able to sleep next to me as I haven't yet convinced my parents to let me just go and sleep with her and Momma. Needless to say that we'll not be doing this again even if I think the protections around the Den are going to be insane if mom has anything to say about it. Her daughter could have died.

Yeah. I see it. I got arrogant. Sure I felt the thief coming and started to call for help but she was so _fast_ and I'm _four_. Four. Dad says he's going to work something up to protect my team but for now I just can't deal.

How we knew it was Mathew Stone, now pariah of the Stone family? Zaela couldn't release herself from her ball due to some gadget she had. Where she got it? Yeah. Matty. Of course that's just icing on the cake. Joy and her partner scared her so fully that she was already begging for consideration if she gave up her boss. Again, this Joy regularly scolds dragon types. Of course she's scary when she wants to be.

I'm going to get her twins such amazing pokémon.

Query has been a blessing here. Zaela more or less roared and got it out with destruction but I'm taking a bit more. I knew this life would be hard but its still a slap in the face as to how much my long term plan could backfire. This will make us stronger in the end but I can't help but think that the knowledge of my rare as hell pokémon is out there. Luckily number three is just two months away. They'll help build up Query in new ways and hopefully give us a sensor to prevent anyone getting anywhere close to me again. Plus even in their evolved form they'll be able to stay with me at all times. Plus, its tradition.

I think I'll write again when my third is here. I need perspective and time to ignore pesky emotions.

But this is about Query. I can't neglect what he's been doing. If Zaela is the leader of the team as my starter then Query is the XO. He takes care of us while Zae leads us. For me? Its levitating cups of water when I'm even close to parched. To my favorite music being put on when we enter the house to simply hovering next to me when I go off to cry.

Ever present and every knowing even now. I've been blessed. Zaela understands my drive and pushes me just as much as I do her but Query shows me that there is such joy in simple wonder. I'll leave this entry with how he melted my heart the other day. My room is not safe to me anymore really. Its nothing special. No real decorations. Blackthorn Clan life is rather spartan even for the children. Really, anywhere where my family is, pokémon or not, is home.

Sleep wasn't coming in my nap so Query gently picked me up. Surprisingly, despite his silvery gold steel form, my boy is pretty warm, if quite hard. Just snuggling into him, even if it wasn't exactly comfortable, I trusted him to bring me to where I needed to be.

The forests around the Den are usually fairly safe due to Momma's more or less full control of it as her territory and so I wasn't really concerned about where Query was taking me. The clearing we entered was pretty much a stereotypical picnic looking place save for the giant boulder in the middle of it….With my face on it. The strange part is that my face was only on the very lower left part of it.

Something must have passed over my face as Query's mental voice hummed in amusement. Over the last month he's been learning in a single-minded manner to be able to talk to me over distance even if it would be _way_ easier to wait till his final form.

"_Ella. I know that the dragon and I will live far past your life so I want you to see what I am building." _Slowly hovering his way over he set me down to see just how perfect he got my face. It was of me smiling a bit fondly at something, likely at him from the perspective as he tends to still like hovering over my right shoulder. The steel hum of his male sounding voice turned warm.

"_One day, when I have given of myself to bring more of my kind into the world I wish them to know of my trainer. My teacher. The heart-voice that pulled me from one of many to many become one. Who gave me perspective of life that I could never have found myself. There is much more of this rock to shape and you have much growing to fall into. They will see you as I did. For every day of your life and into every age of it."_

He paused here as I was already crying so very hard. This started as a fantasy choice. A way for me to live out a dream but Query drew me out of the harsh reality and into the true start of my dream. The sweat and toil I had before then was without a real cost to it. Now I had it and Query, blessed Query, was putting the perspective that _I_ needed just as he said I gave him his.

"_I know you have secrets. Hidden parts that you hide with your aura even from me. I could peek if I desired, so well have you trained me…And I think I should. I will halve your burden and keep it with you if you would let me. Just as you have given me the fulfillment my kind only finds later in life. Speak with me here at the birth of the art you've inspired me to create. Believe in me Ella."_

He felt my acceptance before I could actually speak it. I was never much of a crier in my previous life but something must have broken hard because it took a while for me to start. But I did. And someday soon I'm going to teach him English so he can read this. This is where this should end. I love my pokémon.

Teacher

The order of these entries is going to be logical if I have my way but eventually Ella you know Tass is going to give his account and nothing will make sense. Let me explain why I am insisting upon this my heart-voice. I have never given you a clear answer as to how I evolved so quickly for you the first time. From simple to more and most all at once. The truth is with how you shaped me it is probably I could have become four-voiced even moments after I became two.

You know much more than many because of your deal with the fate-makers but you cannot know what is _me_ when I am not sure there has been a 'me' of my kind before. Many-voiced is what we call ourselves in our inner communication. Parts of the whole to become stronger. It is successful and efficient in ways that I cannot properly convey. Both because it is one of those instances you would indicate is 'freaky' and because I lost that part of myself when I became 'I'.

You named me Query because it is who I am. Think of the time then and how you would have felt if I told you that to become 'me' I would give up all of the rest of my self. The self that was a part of a whole. Ella heart-voice. You would have felt despair and guilt. I knew that even then. That I'd been robbed of the gestalt that all of my kind are known for.

Let me tell you now, years after and with the ability to joke and be me. There is no path that I can see as I am where I would not choose to become 'I' for you. You call me smarter and more intelligent than the rest of our family combined but I tell you in pure contentment that you will always be the greatest teacher I will ever have.

Sixteen years after I became your pokémon and the rock holds four more expressions of my love of you. How many more will I be blessed to show you? All pokémon seem to fall in love easily with the humans that they choose but I can only speak of myself. Such an uplifting concept even now so long after the ideal of being singular moved me into heights that I did not dare to dream of.

I did not even know what a dream was.

We've met more of my kind since then and you were always very closely aware that they did not know what to make of me. I led you to believe that it was because I am odd colored or that you pushed me onto the true path of a metagross' power. To find within new voices….Bur really it is because they cannot connect to me as usual. They cannot see me with the other sense that only the bright one and the legend shares with me. The psychic pull of the mind to enforce my will upon the world.

I want us to write to you of what you have done. You've given so much to us in explicitly tangible ways but you cannot see just how hard our lives would have been without you. Perhaps a bit of bluntness.

Without you I would have been nothing. There would be no art to display nor such close palpable love between differing types. How is it that a darkness filled creature such as Joker and I could be so close? That Zaela and Aurora?

You have led us into danger we all agreed to and despite how you seem to think that your initial choice to destiny bind us to you is worthy of shame, there cannot be anything more wrong for you to feel. You've lived here almost longer than your first world heart-voice and you should know easily by now that pokémon live for great things.

From the weakest scurrying rattata to Zaela we all wish to be more that what we were a mere moment before. I've read your journal. You say that from the start. Your observant one. That is one of my favorite nicknames you give out. I shall prove it further.

You wrote your journal to aid you in adjusting to this life far more than you did to pass it on. It was perhaps your first truly selfish act. I am aware you'd argue that getting 'cool pokémon' and aura powers was quite selfish but I was there every moment of our journey protecting you as I promised all those years ago and sharing your life happily to repay just the smallest portion of what I owe you.

I'm aware that my entry alone will not convince you of this. Perhaps none of it will. Another gift you've given is surprise. To never be sure of what you may do or say but to also be able to completely understand you in the same moment. Clarity is the key to unlocking my abilities and you gave me it purely from the moment we met. Aura did play a part. I will never lie to you or hide things from you save to spare you from misunderstanding as I have till now.

But aura to pokémon doesn't control our desires. It simply lets us see you more clearly. Your true desires. And all you wanted was for me to be yours. Not in a manner that denoted ownership. But to be your friend, confidant and partner in the great goal you'd set before you. What struck me was how desperately you wanted me to be able to live for more than just power.

Zaela was easier obviously. To her life is power and power is life. That isn't to say she does not share all that you are. She can see your heart far easier than I in the moment but we both know who you listen to to be centered. Myself or the true one. And I have none of her special abilities to read you Ella.

Everything you do screams your respect for us. Your adopted family. Trust that when I say now that you cannot carry every burden alone I mean it fully. I've long given up seeking to comprehend why humans make the same decisions over and over if they cause themselves pain so I can only implore you again to let us in.

While only a few of us know your true origins I say that none who do not know would care. Indeed Thunderbug would enjoy hearing of what you did for fun in your previous world. So would the loner. I must admit to that Tass thunderbug is good humor. Drat.

That right there? I cursed, however tamely. It is simple but such a fantastic concept. Words not meant to convey information but _emotion._ That is the key to what I am.

Logic dictates a beldum and anything past. Emotion is what you thrust into my self, previously selves, and made me whole. Back to what I wish to express. All of this is a love letter to you but it also to show you parts we have not shown you. I encouraged Zaela to speak to you of some of the events in your first year of journal entries and I shall do the same. Perhaps not as detailed as I find that lecturing you about being less harsh on yourself appeals to me.

Is this what you would consider rambling?

I've already told you of what it meant for my evolution so I think I shall talk of what made me into one of the most recognized pokémon in the world. Did you know what Psi-Fist would do for us? You say you just had the idea and let me run with it but who would know that our way of fighting would be so successful. Victory at the highest was sweet even for me who only really battles as an exercise to improve my mind.

No other of my kind can use Psi-Fist. I've attempted to teach them but there is something that you may not know of Psi-Fist. It requires empathy. The calculations for step one are easy. To set someone off balance? That I can teach in but a day to any. The second and third steps that we built? To shatter resolve and burn all opposition away? It is such a simple thing for us now but it requires feeling your opponent. Of knowing them and accepting them.

We took the ability to read a person to an extreme that none can stand against. Do you think that is possible if you didn't lead me there?

Psi-Fist turned my desire to observe into the greatest combat weapon I possess. No more need be said.

I will tell you that I do not always agree with you. As you might see from what is written above about guilt. I would not have taken in Tass and heavily disagreed with the potential of his redemption. It worked out but you suffered much from it. That is what ghosts do. They suffer.

But you taught him how to do so in a way that can save so many. Of all of us, how did he end up being the one who can heal in such a profound way? I do not like your chosen mate. That is personal preference though. I thought you should have went after the kind one's offspring. I respect what your mate has done to be with you. How far they have pushed to be worthy of your notice.

Make no mistake Ella. We all think your mate shot higher than they deserved. But we are biased.

Training montages do not interest me though I will say I miss a level of rock smashing games with Zaela that doesn't endanger others so easily. Instead I shall tell you of things I observed and what I wished to query about. See? Joking. So refreshing to the mind.

Your father loved you. Immensely. I know it is a sore subject but you must let it go. You saw the man absorbed with ideas and work but you did not see him watching you while you slept and jotting down ways to improve your journey. Even six years before you were set to go he was planning to give you everything he was. It did not show in his emotions because (and I understand this well) it was his mind that was his center.

Thus while he may not have said it or hugged you as much as your mother does there were small tiny things that he noticed to make even a small bit of your life easier. From cleaning your shoes after a day's training to carefully making sure the custom food you wished for us was from the best merchants to yes, making certain that I found you that first day we met.

Rickard Mita was flawed, heart-voice, but he did adore his little girl. I remember it well Ella. I was a surprise but, like you remember well, his gaze turned thoughtful and ideas flashed faster than my own four minds could attempt as he considered my fate. Simple as I was then I still felt as if the world was holding its breath.

A slight smile went on his face and he simply stated that if I wanted to see something interesting that a girl with her beloved monster was trying out how to burn enemies in a pit but that she would never harm me if I wanted to observe. You know me Ella. I was yours before I met you because of your father. Let his end pass and remember all the things I know you keep within you.

Do you recall the first day we met Clair? Or rather I met her? You told me of your favorite cousin. That is the day I imprinted your first stone visage into my mind. You did not know then that she would become something so special to your life but I did. Like much though I felt that it would not mean as much if I pointed it out and in this I am glad I was right.

I could go on for so long heart-voice. You drew me into myself. To find who I was and I am repeating it because I can. That I can choose to be long winded and find enjoyment in senselessness. To a psychic moments of perfect clarity and calm places are not only needed but required to keep us sane. Metagross are so desired because our metal bodies do much of this naturally. And our hives deal with the rest.

You gave me a self that won't break, my teacher. Read the words of your family. Accept them. Find comfort and heal for us. Despite how often she and I disagree I shall follow her example.

I am me. Thank you.

* * *

**Whew. That was rough. Query is my favorite but he is very hard to write as. All of this is very AU but the idea of a logical supercomputer pokémon always seemed a bit sad compared to how I would imagine my Iron Leg bad ass. Thus Query was born ages ago. He's where this story started in the back of my head. From there it went to my other favorite pocket monsters and here we are.**

**I don't know how long this posting rate will last but I just can't seem to stop typing. Kay the true one is next and she's interesting. I expect she'll be hard for me to find a voice for but I'm looking forward to the challenge. Also got to go back and fix all the typos from the first chapter. Ergh. Now for her partners. I'm trying to keep track of all the various details I've hinted at for the new additions so yet another thing I'll probably be adding to. **

**Till next time.**

_**1- ****Zaela ****the ****King**** Gible (Female)**_

_**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**_

_**Nature: Adamant**_

_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragonbreath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, ****Double Team, ****Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, Rain Dance, Mud-Slap**_

_**Combination Moves: Furnace (****Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit) ****Pain Whirl (Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and Rock Slide with a helping of Mud-Slap. Confuse them in a tornado made of giant pain rocks)**_

_**E****lla's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_

_**2- Query the ****Shiny ****Metang**** (****Identifies Male****) **_

_**A****bility: Clear Body**_

_**Nature: Quirky**_

_**Moves: Iron Head, Iron Defense, Take Down, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Psych Up, Gravity, Ally Switch, Miracle Eye (Not Mastered), Scary Face, Brick Break (Not Mastered)**_

_**Combination Moves: Psi-Fist (A method of psychic manipulation of an opponents gravity and self to make critical hits happen. A variety of punches/strikes with heavy but small piercing-like psychic stabs to balance points)**_

_**3- True One Kay the ? (Female)**_

_**Combat medic and mediator.**_

_**4- Fairy number one the ? (Female)**_

_**Provide coverage and to help train Zaela against her type. **_

_**5- Zaela's would be mate the ****shiny**** ? (Male)**_

_**Lazy as fuck because he's too talented for his own good. ****Transportation eventually and good battler when he gets his act together. Maybe.**_

_**6- Aurora the ? (Female)**_

_**Zaela's best friend. Mother hen. ****Powerhouse and somewhat of a tank. Knows electric moves?**_

_**7- "Thunderbug" the ? (Male)**_

_**Is not actually a bug type. The group just likes to eff with him. Likes entertainment apparently.**_

_**8- Joker, Dark one the ? (Male)**_

_**Possibly the most dangerous. Also a close friend of Query.**_

_**9- Fairy number two the ? (Female)**_

_**Dedicated healer and transportation specialist. No jokes here. She's the best.**_

_**10- Ghost Tass the ? (Male)**_

_**Not much known. Other than he's got stereotypical ghost ideas. In other words, can be an ass. Also possibly dangerous. But seriously. Ghost. Big duh. But actually isn't all bad! Gotcha! Uses suffering to heal in some way, somehow.**_

_**11- Water Maiden the ? (Female)**_

_**Tank of some variety. Prideful as fuck.**_

_**12- Legend the ? (Female)**_

_**Literally a legendary. Seriously. Its happening. Ella's ultimate goal for proof of her path to the world. Loses to Zaela a lot supposedly. For now. Possibly psychic or some mental ability.**_


	3. Ch 3- Dreamer and Truthseeker

**So I totally didn't notice the views and reviews I've gotten. Uhm. Sorry? And thank you. This has been helping my stress so much and the kind things said are even more appreciated. **

** Warhammer4Life- thank you for the info and such. Another person mailed me much of the same. Looked into it!**

** Crembo- Thank you. You are very kind. Its a selfish desire I have to get this out of my head but I'm also quite glad you're enjoying my poor rambling OC and her family.**

** frankieu- Yep! Lets be honest. The people in the pokémon world are way less interesting than getting to know a pokémon. I like Ella, but I love her team. Most were mine in some game or another. Second Review- Yeah. I've got plans for ebil shite to hit the fan and then explode later. I probably won't get too brutal save off-screen but we'll see. Its just I can't reliably believe even in the silly Fate premise that dear Ella could become a viable threat to anyone at four. Around ten is when I want her personally to be at least able to defend herself. Her pokémon on the other hand. Muahaha. Inspired by some of the best pokémon fics here I've wanted to write a story that doesn't a) end before starters get super bad ass and/or b) people get super strong pokémon but don't bond with them in a meaningful, honest way. Uhm. Mini rant over. Thank you for your words.**

** Alakrux- Aww. I'm blushing just a tad. Probably. A lot of the feels are from my experiences or just, blah. Depression and things everyone deals with. That I can affect you like that means a lot. Much thanks.**

**Disclaimer- I don't own anything pokémon related. Just my ocs.**

* * *

Dreamer

Year Three

I don't have a clue where to start. I should have known things would have gotten harder. Did I really expect that all my pokémon would like me from the start? The ghost or dark pokémon later? Sure. But number three? I thought out of all of my choices she'd be the most accepting. Before I get into slight bitterness here's her stats.

_Kay the Riolu_

_Nature: Serious_

_Abilities: Inner Focus, Prankster (Hidden Ability)_

_Moves: Foresight, Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Detect, Cross Chop, Bite, Mind Reader, High Jump Kick, Agility, Vacuum Wave, Crunch, Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash_

While metagross might have been my favorite pokémon, lucario and riolu were always on my team. So far I've noticed immensely how much my chosen nature for my team have mattered. I didn't think what it meant when dealing with egg moves or how that would fit into the world. My riolu is pretty much royalty.

As in her line have been bred for generations to serve aura users. To be their companion. Kay has a huge amount of pride and dedication and I….I think she doesn't think I'm worthy or something. That because she's a perfect example of her species that she deserved something more than a five year old child. Getting ahead of myself. Back to how she became mine.

So way back when I was first found out by mom she didn't just let it go. Talking about how I've been treated isn't nearly as interesting as my pokémon but I guuuuueeeesss you deserve to know journal-kun. First off, Clair is practically my shadow when I'm not training (which isn't that often as Zaela's one true passion is to never lose a battle when our journey starts) and she's oh so adorable. Serious cuteness straight to all the mushyness. I know she becomes something of a massively powerful trainer later but right now she's shy and will peek behind her hands if I catch her staring at me.

Its flattering to know she looks up to me really. Not just because the actual person Clair is so sweet and warm but because of who she will be. Humbling. That's a good word for it. Back to mom though. Since she saw that I could thrive training she's let me get away with a lot and at the same time is brutal in her expectations. When she more or less figured out my goal was to become so powerful only the top percent of all trainers could challenge me….I somewhat was less her daughter in that moment as she started to treat me like her gym trainers….And many of them had gone on to become Ace-level trainers.

That isn't to say we don't have bonding time or what not but its mostly about our shared love of pokémon even if she doesn't know at all what to make of Query. Seriously, Query is like a sane version of dad and I think it freaks her out. Dragon tamers are all a bit nuts ourselves so maybe that's why she and dad got together? Better living through insanity?

All that aside, mom is the gym leader of one of the most powerful gyms in the world. She knows a _lot_ of powerful people. Ever since I proved I could train Zaela and that I actively used aura to augment my understanding of pokémon she's been working to get me aide. At first she was disbelieved but after many hours of subtly interrogating me and documenting my abilities she got one of the Knights of Rota to come pose as a gym challenger. Even she started to know that I would thwart her plans to shape what I wanted. For a long while she expected me to be the next gym leader. A looooot of baby dragons were rejected as new partners despite how adorable they are. I had a plan after all.

I should have known it was a bit odd that knight-guy was invited over for dinner after he faced mom. Actually I don't even know if a fight happened. They just introduced him as someone who impressed her. No. Wait. I know my mom. She would never have introduced him to me if he wasn't strong. Only the strong are allowed to aide me. Not my words. Hers. Worried as she might be at times, at no point has she held back in helping my pokémon turn into monsters to protect her baby.

While the knight was of Rota it did mean he was an aura user. What he was though is one of the historians of the country and one of the few people who apparently keep in contact with Riley. Now, there are certainly a few lucario in the kingdom due to its history but that wasn't where mine came from. What my mother wanted was a riolu for me that all true aura guardians have. If she couldn't stop me from my path she would do her best to shield me from as much as possible.

Knight guy (Ellent was his name) hung out for a few days though mom told me he knew from the start some signs that I was particularly strong with aura. From how I moved more gracefully as a child to the way I knew intimately everything in my surroundings in a measurable diameter to other things I gave away. I've never been good at hiding things really that are such a huge part of my life.

What Ellent did was to go home and recommend to the King at that time that they fulfill their charge to aide in a new aura user by opening talks with the Lucario Kingdom in Sinnoh to find me a partner. Mother would have went to them directly but she was friends with the current monarchy and wanted their advice first. Long story short and another hidden examiner about a month before Kay arrived, my riolu was chosen and Arceus does she have impressive pedigree.

That bit earlier about her being pretty much royalty? No, she is. Her parents are the current leaders of the kingdom. And they gave me their child to raise to new heights. No pressure right? They don't call themselves king and queen but they pretty much are that. This isn't what I expected. What I thought was going to happen is that Joy's lucario would come to me and tell me to watch after her child because we're very close.

I'd have the kid of the lucario I've grown up with and who is responsible for my current level of skill in aura. Update there by the way. I can now talk to any and all pokémon just as lucario do. What they say is still based on their intelligence but I've been tagged by Joy and our local law enforcement (a Clan member not a Jenny note) as someone to contact if lucario isn't available to translate. Also, I learned not all lucario get that aura trick down and I should be even more impressed with Joy's lucario.

Oh! I found out why she never wanted a nickname. She said it is the greatest honor to be known as Joy's companion first and foremost. I might have sniffled a bit there and eagerly awaited her to tell me she was going to have an egg and it was mine…..Which considering I've never seen her use some of the moves I'd chosen years ago for my riolu, well, I should have known it wouldn't be hers.

Another aspect I've improved on is my empathy. Reading a person's aura (and every living thing has it to an extent) lets you see their emotions somewhat. Its not a visual read as much as letting my aura sense taste theirs. It sounds a bit dirty and it can be depending on moods. I'm never, ever reading my parents after mom has a great battle again. Ew. Ew. Blergh.

Before she realized I was reading her and did something I didn't recognize to block me, the most prevalent emotion that Kay was feeling after meeting me was shocking disappointment. And a bit of rage. It quickly shut down to resigned resolve and then she shut me out of her emotions. Considering she's an emanation pokémon I can understand why she can do that.

It was a very awkward week from that point on. While obviously surprised I could speak to her and other pokémon there was very little emotion from her. She obeys me when we train and will be polite at all times but there is zero warmth and even less interaction. There was indeed an impressed look on her face when she saw Zaela but it was back to nothing when I mentioned that Momma helped me train her.

Query was more or less ignored as he clearly enjoys learning new things more than training. He doesn't at all slack off but his growth doesn't involve physically apparent signs. To get stronger with a move Query will meditate on it and play out a staggeringly large amount of simulations in his brain then show me the best fifty or so after a few days. Its been almost a month since she's come and I'm more than a little worried. At no point did Fate tell me I was promised the pokémon I desired. Maybe I should just give it time.

Joy's wife is due in a few more months. Oh. Her name is Rebecca, the wife. We aren't as close as Joy and I but I figure I should give her name.

Can you tell I'm trying to distract myself from Kay journal-kun?

Shit. Fine. A few more updates. Sampson is starting to grow on me. There is kindness in him I didn't expect. I suppose being around all these rare and powerful pokémon have tempered him a tad. I don't get as much interrogation anymore but that also might be because he's been seeing a woman in the Clan lately. Oh crap. Did I fuck up his future trip to Alola?

Uhm. They are very cute together? She's a caretaker for many of the wild pokémon in the Den so she knows her stuff and like all of the clan is quite proud and fierce. Guess that appeals to Sampson? Whatever the case I think I'm going to be nicer to him. He found me leaning on Query at our favorite thinking spot and didn't say a word. All he did was sit down and start telling me about his favorite pokémon and what life was like before he became a traveler. He asked a lot of questions too but it was about me and what I liked. Or even a few things about what his lady friend might enjoy.

It was nice. Kinda like how dad gets in the few rare instances where he isn't absorbed in some project. I think I'll spend a bit more time with Sampson and not just as a link to his cousin. Am I using people? I don't think so but I am worried I'm not connecting with them. Pokémon may be my priority but maybe I'll go and see Lance. He's getting better. Less of a jerkface. Yeah. That sounds good. Back later.

A few weeks later.

I've got to eat my own words now journal-kun. Lance is a lot better. I don't know what happened but he's obviously ashamed of his behavior last year. Clair didn't tell me but apparently all his bullying stopped soon into my pranking of him but he figured he deserved it so he didn't ask her to tell me to stop.

Lance is eight now and will be leaving soon. Early. He got special permission from mom. Who has fucking harsh standards. How did I miss this? I overshadow him a bit but there is no denying he is an actual prodigy. I seem like it but its really just my having lived another life. Lance's connection to dragons is all him and his own effort. Fuck. I'm going to owe him something nice later. I got an apology too and an admission that he was ultra jealous about my sister. While garchomp aren't at all his favorite dragon type he couldn't see past how much younger and more skilled I was.

Where did this come from? How did he change so fast? Someday I'll push to know why but for now I will simply be thankful and more than a bit guilty. First though, going to write what happened. My first official trainer battle. Mother pulled a league official in citing Clan bullshit that we all use to fuck with the local official. She's a bitch to a lot of the incoming trainers as she can't touch us at all. There is a lot of power in pokémon battles but no one in Johto wants to lose the Blackthorn Clan. We don't abuse this much but to piss her off pretty much every dragon, human or pokémon in the Clan will go out of our way to make her feel as small as she enjoys seeing others.

Back to my first battle. Going to write it as best I can.

Lance and I were at the gym, looking over the various statues and awards taken by the clan through battle and hardship. Whatever happened between us, this boy is not the Champion I know he can be yet. He's simply my cousin who I love. And I'm worried about him. I didn't say so but he got his starter a little bit before Query showed up. The dratini is going to grow into the dragonite my world knows could wreck pretty much anything it wanted.

"Ella. I know I shouldn't ask. But. Uhm." This is a new Lance indeed. His wild red hair pushes over his eyes until he tosses it back in irritation. Those burning, determined eyes I usually only see raised in anger at me are suddenly so firm. A hint of who he'll become. No. That's not fair. Who he is. "You're strong. Stronger than me. Dratini and I agree that you are to be what we aspire to."

Thoughts burst in my head rapidly. I never considered this. That I'd be such a change to him. Never in any media I saw of Lance did he look like he had a rival. Sure, he probably did but have I ruined the champion that I _know_ will be needed? Still, I kept the worry in, stupid as it might be. "Cousin. We're kids. I think we can both agree we're weird kids who don't have a right to what we've gained. But kids. I forgive you."

I did too. I wasn't exactly kind. Pushing my own hair away as well, mimicking his gesture to tease I simply took his hand and tugged him into the gym. This had been his most earnest request and I couldn't deny him. Even if we both knew how it would end.

Lance's eyes darkened in excitement even if I could tell from the way his hands were clenching and the slight twitch in his mouth that he was expecting an ass beating. Dragons of near age do not go easy on each other and it would be the highest of insults if I didn't take him seriously.

"I respect you Ella. But I'm going to do my best to put Zaela down. Dratini is ready." A plain pokéball rolls into his hands, ready to unleash his partner as we take our places. Everything fades away. My mother is somewhere up high, a queen in the gym that this Clan revolves around watching her two favored knights get ready to prove themselves. The surprisingly pretty but utterly petty woman watches nearby, given a place of honor even if she receives little respect. I ignore the pale pink dress she wears as if she's about to go to a dance as well as Lance's parents shining with such pride.

We both ignore that I am stronger. That doesn't matter. I cheated my way here but once I got here? I threw my old ways away. I became a dragon through will and want to be better. Lance took longer to get to that point...But it took me twenty four years to change. Lance did it in eight. In that moment, both of us clad in simple black shirts and shorts, clan members and family, I saw then. He's my hero. So quickly did he turn around.

That stupid face of his looks confused as to why mine softens. To the slight tear in my eye until he realizes I'm proud of him. And then to a soft, unassuming grin as he blushes a bit. Dragons do not hide from our feelings. Zaela made me a dragon. Lance was born one.

"Whatever happens cousin, know that I do this for you and yours. After this fight I will not battle you again unless we're in the same conference or you become Champion. Don't disappoint me." My voice is thick with emotion and such desire to see what will become of Lance. No thoughts of manipulation here. Lance isn't a character and I want him stronger than me if he can reach that high.

Enough emotion my mind screams. Eyes flashing deeper purple, I toss out Zaela's ball and my gible, massive and ready to rule the world roars to the clan that she is queen of all that is. Thick muscles grace her now. Her color is more gabite than gible and thick serrated knives are her teeth. Dragon fire burns in her throat constantly, the flames licking out to show she's ready to roast her opponent from the second the battle begins.

Mighty are her steps, echoing with the power pounded into her by her dame and her sister in two long years of constant, daily agony. We broke her because we love her. And each time she rose stronger. Even if Lance saw her yesterday, that girl was my adorable sister who enjoys snuggling and music to lull her into dreams of fire and flying. He saw her as she would pester and tease Query for his strange stay in one spot training or who could coax my mother's kingdra to play tag with her on land.

Not now. Now she has embraced that she was born to be ruler of all other dragons. King. Queen. Semantics.

Silence gripped the gym save for the clattering of heels fleeing in fear. Good. She didn't belong in the court of the kingdom that is our Clan. Pride radiated down from my mother but I didn't let it affect me. My eyes were for my cousin and how he would prove himself. He knew that he was walking into a loss but I'm overjoyed to say his eyes just narrowed and dratini flew true across from my first monster. My beloved.

Lance's partner emerges with a cry. While Zaela's voice speaks of the savage harshness of the earth rising to swallow whole any that opposes it in the very physical manner that garchomp embody, dratini's voice was filled with the pure power of spirit that allows a dragon to never fall. That presence that any who stand before a dragon feel that gives them such regal nature. My dragon is built to rule. Lance's is built to inspire. To be a Champion.

Dratini's scales are smooth but thick, seamless. Larger than most of her kind but obviously no where near Zaela's level, the partner of Lance isn't swayed. Matching gazes with my beloved, he snaps his serpentine body with coiled and restless energy, eager to prove himself.

Unbidden, uncaring of the energy, the referee speaks words that all trainers are oh so eager to hear.

"This is a one on one battle between Lance Wataru of Blackthorn and Ella Mita of Blackthorn. No items are allowed and the fight shall continue until forfeit or an opponent is no longer able to battle. When my hand falls begin!"

His red-black eyes flash towards my purple and we both speak at the same time.

"Dratini! Rush and sway!"

"Zae! Burn and contain!"

Both of our partners move in shocking ways to our Clan if the hushed sounds have anything to say about it. Dratini moves in an agility enhanced aqua jet that causes him to nearly disappear from my sight. Zae just lets out a pleased sound as she circles her body with dragon breath and drops almost half the side of her battlefield into a sand tomb.

Toying with Lance doesn't enter our minds when this battle was requested by him but neither will we let such a chance go to see how he can push us. Ignoring the trap Lance's partner springs into the air above Zaela and shatters our hearing with pitched supersonic waves using the hole Zaela's dug to bounce the sound around and cause her pain and confusion.

Well. It would have. My beloved is proud and will fight on even ground but only until Dratini earns it. Thus the supersonic hits a double team as my gible bursts from the ground under the dragon breath she used to disguise her dig. Sharp teeth latch onto Dratini as she starts to savagely bite and rip, not even using a move but simply her physical strength.

"Shed and redeploy!" Panic doesn't enter my cousin's voice and the eyes of his starter aren't nearly beaten as he activates his ability by sheer will and is freed of my monster's jaws. A parting flamethrower is our gift to Dratini as he retreats into a double team of his own. A fair number of clones appear showing he isn't quite used to the move yet but it hardly matters. All of them start to slide two and fro in a dance all dragons recognize as gathering of energy they all covet.

A sound of pure glee leaves my throat as Zaela kicks up a sandstorm with a single thought, her grin matching mine as she vanishes in the thick, harsh winds she's made. Dratini's clones pop instantly and he is momentarily confused as to where my starter is. Zae's scent is covered in the earth and her footsteps are lost in the howling speed of her near mastery of the move. Lance though, my hero, simply states his next order, showing he's been studying me carefully for this moment.

"Dance two and mega tail the second you sense her." Oh my will that calm voice break so many hearts later cousin. Rain soaks the sandstorm, not quite canceling it out as Dratini keeps up the rain dance and dragon dance at once, boosting himself and making the area around her much more difficult for my land shark to manipulate. Or it would have if we hadn't consider this as a plan for a future partner who uses water.

The helpfully supplied mud rises in a bastardized muddy water. A combination of earth power and mud slap ruining Dratini's dance as double teams with savagely almost feral rage emerge with the face of Zaela, confusing Dratini and slowing her down as to who the real gible is.

"That's scary face Dratini! Mist and twister it all away!" Our strategy must be getting to him if he's calling out individual moves instead of a set order of tactics. With the strength and rapid pace he's setting I give Zaela the agreed signal that she can step things up.

"Furnace."

Lance pales just a hint and opens his mouth to frantically call out something but its too late. He let Zaela set up a sandstorm. Even if its inadvisable he should have kept Dratini in close quarters. Until he gains his second form Dratini won't have the power to back up a long ranged battle. I expect that's what he wanted to do with dragon's dance but again. Its too late. There was no need to warn him this might happen. And he would have resented me if I did warn him.

Displaying the same speed as the start of the match my starter buries Dratini in an instant. Zaela hasn't been above ground since the rain dance started. Standing orders are to make the terrain hers forever. Only the very upper coat of earth is wet now. The double teams were sent up to distract our opponent while she used flamethrower constantly underground to harden the earth to shield her weapon from becoming too muddy. The sinkhole is sudden and despite his short yet impressive showing against my terrifying starter Dratini lets out a squeak of shock.

Already partially burning from her preparation, the sand tomb swirls about, aided by earth power as my starter begins to circle, bites against Dratini's body land not meant only to harm but also to keep her fellow dragon in the earth as the sandstorm thickens. I can barely see what is going on save the flash of both dragon and regular fire causing flickers of shadow to appear like a bad horror movie. What I hear very vividly is Lance's voice desperately encouraging Dratini but its for naught. We judged them worth for an up close fight and that is what they got.

A deep bellow of angered pain and then its over. The sandstorm thickens as if echoing the deep roar of triumph as Lance's starter is tossed from the storm in a heap, bleeding from broken scales but quite alive and better for it. Or he will be. The sand fades in a few moments as Zaela appears out of it. And then the murmurs fall as my lovely girl is not the same.

Tears spring to my eyes at what she did. She's been holding it back for a while now, over two years after we met and became kin. She told me that she would not evolve until she met someone worth fighting. The way Lance looks at me tells me he gets it too and the way he rubs his eyes with his arm choke me up more.

Zaela was over five feet as a gible and now as a gabite she's about half way past six to seven. Her already fit form is sleek and proportional with savage sickles for claws. While most of her form was dominated by her jaws before, her mouth is more in tune with the rest of her body. Roaring so hard that the stands shake she pads over to me. Most would be running by then as she's almost three feet taller than me, outweighs me by I don't wanna know how much and one snap would leave me dead. Her claws could gut me in a flash but there is only that humming croon she has when she's proud of herself and wants me to reward her for it.

My sister. Taking my hand up I reach along the two now massive nubs on her head and scratch that area she can never seem to get. The low rumble of her voice sends pleasant vibrations through my entire body.

"Beloved. Let us go congratulate your opponent before we celebrate all that you have become." A slow nod of acceptance follows, surprising me a bit as she'd usually be quite impatient to try out _any_ improvement right away. Then again, I guess she did just grow up. Followed by the still nearly silent steps of my starter we walk to my cousin, his eyes sad and pleased all at once.

Looking up at him my honey colored hair whips about in the fading sandstorm, veiling him a bit before I push it back. "Thank you Lance. Thank you Dratini." By this point Lance has used some of the physics defying medicine of this world to revive his partner who simply croons up a sound of acceptance. Defeated he might be, Lance's first dragon is pleased to know what his goal is. All dragons thrive in adversity.

My cousin just lets out a low chuckle, something he'd be known for later I think with how many emotions it shows. Pride. A bit of sadness and true humor. "No cousin. Thank you. You've given me a great gift. A chance to find what you will become. And all I have to do is become Champion." There. That's what I wanted. That look in his eye as he gazes at me. Putting my small hand out he covers it in his own. Already he dwarfs me. Everyone does.

There are no empty platitudes. No excuse that Zaela is a King or that I got her a year earlier. Just the promise of a rematch between kin. I turn, gazing out at our Clan with a glare. Zaela snarls and roars her challenge again. We are here to change the world she screams even if others can't understand. My Clan is silent knowing that they witnessed something unheard of. A five year old and an eight year old of fantastic talent and promise. What will we become in the future?

That day I learned what it was to be a dragon journal-kun. I will always seek to be a guardian more than anything. But a guardian with the heart of a dragon? Well I think that my enemies will learn to fear me very quick. Lance has gone to become amazing. I miss him.

A couple hours later

Needed a bit of time to come down from even remembering that. It happened a bit ago but it was a turning point. Mother no longer worries for me and the Clan has stopped thinking me a bit of a freak. Strength really does rule here. The following days were spent helping Zaela recover from the evolution. She's amazing. If this trend continues she'll be fifteen feet tall when she becomes a garchomp. Maybe more. Which will be quite a long time from now. Gible tend to evolve maybe six months after birth from the type of training Momma and I put her through as far as I can figure. And with my boon, I think I've got a pretty good guess. Thus, it'll be likely another four years before she's ready to be a garchomp by my reckoning. Giving us the last year to get her used to her final form before our journey.

I've been forcing her to eat a lot of things she hates but never does she hesitate. My girl did grow up quite a bit. She's less inclined to argue and gives a bit on her stubbornness for my ideas compared to before. So while she dislikes the minerals I'm feeding her she knows its for the best. Her physical attacks are just….Staggering now. Strikes that fractured boulders not shatter them. Her sandstorm would peel my skin easily. Everything is more and I sense the first few months of this year are going to be her relearning her control.

Everyone is amazed by her. Dad even came out of his lab three times this week to show he cared. Or something. Its….I'm not being fair. I know who he is. How he is like. And I'm just as obsessed with my pokémon as he is with his work so I get it...But I'd love for him to be around more. Whatever.

Due to so few King's Nature pokémon documented Joy was particularly scary about telling us not to push it for a while as she does tests to make sure everything is fine. Sampson helped with this in a way I didn't expect. He didn't once as to study her nor made any sort of notes. He just helped Joy. Zaela in another one of her new quirks told me to tell him that such a glorious specimen as herself should be properly learned about so he could tell the world how 'fucking awesome' she was.

So maybe my mouth isn't a good influence. I edited the words a bit and boy can Sampson grin when he's happy. Frankly I think she just wanted extra company to keep herself from going nuts while she waited to truly try out her new form.

Momma and mom had almost the same reaction. Intense, humbling pride. Momma has changed so much compared to what the Clan knew of her. She's regularly come to visit Zaela and I since I convinced her to actually raise my starter and she refused to leave the front of the Pokémon Center (read Joy and Rebecca's bigger than normal house) while Zaela was being examined. That's right. A giant garchomp former champion elder that scares the shit out of most of the other elders in the middle of the Clan for four and a half hours. I love her so much for growling at anyone who wanted to come congratulate me.

I didn't fight Lance for anyone but him.

Mom's response was to say she's going to increase my training now that she knows I can take it. Yes I did shiver at that. Her training was for me. Mostly about tactics, ways to survive in the wild. Herbs and things that are useful and now martial arts. Mom was going to hold off another year but like I said. She doesn't worry anymore. Something about seeing me battle hit her right where she need. It makes sense. Most of her adult life was forged in battle. For as utterly amazing as this has been for Zaela and myself. For my sister. It is matched in its greatness by the despair I feel. I think Kay is going to leave me. And I don't know how to change that.

Two weeks, three days later.

I hate being prompt. Counting things. I enjoy getting lost in an activity. Its why training hasn't broken me. Pokémon like my starter can do it for ages as their hobby and goal. Humans not so much. But the way I work has always been single minded without a care for what goes on about me. That I'm counting the days since the last entry is a bad thing journal-kun.

I made a deal with Kay yesterday. While Zaela's evolution briefly saw a hint of respect for me in her eyes, or how I read that anyway, it quickly reverted back to the sad normal that is her lack of personal care for me.

As I said before, she seems to be fine learning of my training method but its going through the motions. Zaela's will to become better affected me and we pushed each other. Query's revelation which I still can't tell you journal-kun brought out the best of my creativity.

Kay and I are like trying to skip rocks and forgetting how to throw mid-swing. You know you can do it but something just hilariously doesn't connect. Or pathetically is better. Yeah.

The deal after today's apathetic attempt to get stronger is that if by the end of the year she doesn't want to stay with me I'll get her home. It hurt so, so much that she looked satisfied by the deal and went back to the training she more or less was going to do herself anyway. Damn it.

Query is here. My boy knows I need him. I think he's going to take me to Sampson's for board games. When he started playing with Sampson I don't know but its funny. I don't think Query has won once and he doesn't at all care.

Two days later.

Still no change. I'm not letting myself give up. Neither is Query. He's started observing Kay like he did me at the start. How could I forget to ask him and Zaela for help. I may be the trainer but I've learned just as much from them as they from me. Way more hopeful today journal-kun. Off to go see Joy. Rebecca and she should have found out what the genders are.

Week later

Bit of a breakthrough. Sort of. Both Kay and I apparently meditate in the same place. I think Joy's lucario knew we were having issues and recommended my usual spot to Kay as a good place to find quiet. Neither of us wished to disturb the feeling of the cave as it resonates well with aura. (I found the two as of yet unidentified megastones there). So now we spend every other day there in silence together. Its pretty fantastic even if we don't communicate.

Month or so later

Back to a bit of despair. No. A lot. She hates me. No. Worse. Anger is easier. She thinks me unworthy. Today was joint training which more or less is a free for all or team combos. She was doing well and all in the all out brawl. As much as either her or Query can against Zaela for now. Its usually both of them against her until someone yields. Then when it was to go into combo attacks she refused.

Query just hummed as if he expected it but Zaela was an inch away from burying her and going into I'm a fucking dragon and you do not disobey someone _I_ obey mode. Calming my starter I -well. Its easier if I try to write it from a distance. Hurts less. Not really. Maybe.

"Zaela. Stop. We don't strike our teammates in anger." Not entirely true but this is the type of shit you say to an angry dragon you trust. Firm command and calm. It also helped hide the strange crack in my heart. Turning to Kay I made sure my words were slow and steady. "Tell me why you refuse Kay. I'll hear you out."

Glaring at me, her eyes shifted to Query for a moment, wondering perhaps why he wasn't angry and then her smooth voice echoed into my ears, modified by our aura to translate what she means. "I refuse to work on teamwork when I won't be here after the end of the year. If I have to be here I'll work on my own personal skills." There was such a strange tone to her voice as she broke my heart. Like she knew she was doing something wrong and both ashamed and thrilled at it.

I just nodded, keeping my cool as Zaela's thin string of control snapped immediately. I'd catch hell for it later but I returned her three times as the first two were met by her popping right back out to try to attack Kay again. Query knew of my deal with her as I hide nothing from him but if I'd told Zaela I can't really be sure my starter wouldn't savage Kay in training out of spite.

I guess I'm proud of my voice as my heart broke. Still steady. "Ah. I see. I think I need to focus on Zaela right now Kay. If you would, please go search out Joy's lucario and stay with her for a few days. I'll have Zaela up to sparring with you again by then." By the end of it my tone was cool enough that Query turned to me in what was surprise for him. A low, almost sad tone of wonder.

I'll be honest. The pure shock on Kay's face was pretty pleasing to me. I suspect she thought I'd immediately try and convince her again. To try to get her to open up and to share with me. Anytime I'd try previous to this was met with cool stares and ignoring of any question outside of training and moves. I'd been understanding and friendly but I guess that wasn't working.

Without another word but with a thoughtful look she ran off, following orders but never showing me her spirit.

I'm not going to describe more crying journal-kun. I'm done with that on this. Zaela took a lot of work then. While she was quite pissed at me for returning her she was even more angry at Kay. Like. I feared for her life until I flat out ordered my sister to stand down. That she'd be injuring my pride if she attempted to solve my problem. That hit her pretty hard. Because it was true. It was up to me as the trainer to figure this out unless I requested aid from her. True, she was mad I hadn't but was also pretty aware that based on my wishes her help wouldn't have done a lot of good.

Grudgingly she suggested I put Query on it when he was out of earshot and I nodded, not telling her he put himself on the case before I even asked. Hey. My starter has her strengths. Personal issues are not one of them.

Few days later

Talked to Joy's lucario. Also forgot to mention that Joy and Becca are going to have a son and daughter. Fraternal twinsies. They also asked I not bring them pokémon until they are at least eight. And not to have them be as 'interesting' as my pokémon. Though they said they wouldn't really fuss if the choices were like Query.

My boy. So likable.

Joy's lucario had a lot to not say. Pokémon do not generally keep secrets but the do keep confidence. So whatever Kay told Joy's lucario wouldn't be told to me. What she _did_ do is offer a lot of advise about pokémon in general.

She said that pokémon are headstrong when they gain confidence and will fight or walk on a path they set for themselves to death if not having their path shattered. Unlike humans, this usually meant they would grow stronger in experience and often form a strong bond with whatever defeated them. Its why when you fight a pokémon in the wild and capture them there is usually zero problem with the pokémon after. If you are worthy to shatter their current path then yours is the right path for them.

A gift pokémon if given early in life might imprint on their trainer and have no issues as well.

A pokémon with such caliber to have an immense number of moves that were trained harshly before they reach their peak would likely have an expectation of a goal or ideal and the smallest hint of it being not their path would lose faith if not shown that the trainer's actual goal is mightier than their own.

Basically, my riolu was meant to be the partner of an aura guardian. I am not one. And won't be for years. How old was Kay? How long has she waited to be a lucario attached to a guardian of Aura. To travel the world and right wrongs.

What does she get? A little girl with a dragon. In a dragon's den. Sure, she has aura but does she toss it about like the heroes she may have grew up with? Do I use it for anything but calming myself and talking to pokémon? I might be a great trainer but have I really _shown _her what I want later in life?

How could I have so misjudged her?

I'm going to talk to mom.

Two hours later

That was a good talk. It was mostly just mother/daughter ranting and coming clean on a lot of things. I'm going this alone far too much. I told her what I wanted. To build up guardians to help the world. That I've been planning to grow to mammoth levels of power before I left on my journey so I can help any and all that I can. That I'm having issues with Kay and that dad's behavior bothers me. That I want him around more.

Mom just listed and let me talk.

Once it was done I was hugged, pampered and soothed until she got her head around what she wanted to say.

"When I first found out I was going to have you I was very much considering giving up training and just..Being your mom. Nothing more. I didn't because while you are the greatest part of my life I cannot be all of your life. Just as you cannot be all of mine. You think like a dragon little one but you are not one. You will be greater and you cannot let any stand in front of you. Even me."

A pause here as some tears needed to be wiped from my never cried in front of me before mom.

"I adore you and believe in you completely but you can be rather boneheaded at times. This has been eating at you since before you stopped hiding how smart you are. My little adult. Thank you for asking for help. Kay can wait for now. Tomorrow we're going out and doing nothing and then you and I are going to plan about this dream of yours. Your mom and dad know a lot of people that can help."

I love her so much.

Two days later.

I came home from my trip with mom with a healthy respect and intense like of spa days to a sight I can't fathom even if I have some of the story now.

I have never seen Query angry before. But I'm absolutely positive this is his doing. A doing in anger.

Kay is a wreck. There are broken ribs, lacerations and bruises that reach deep enough to disrupt muscle ability. My knowledge of her line is being sent into overdrive at her battered form on my bed.

Query made sure that I saw him leave with Kay's pokéball in his claw. So I couldn't put her into stasis. There are two modes to a returned pokémon. The method where they are perfectly aware of the world around them so they can pop out at will or stasis which is mostly meant for keeping them safe until treated at a center.

Query had beaten her to a brutal pulp and left her for me to care for. Mom skipped gym duties for me so she wouldn't be back for at least a day. Dad was off visiting Silph for a week about the first prototype reusable TMs and while I could phone Joy something told me that Query meant for this to be my responsibility. It wasn't as if a gym leader's home was short on potions.

What followed was a long night of forced heart to heart. Pokémon are very hardy. Despite the look of them, Kay's wounds were not even close to life threatening and even if she was left alone she'd likely have been fine in a few days enough to get herself to berries. But I'm a softy and couldn't leave her be.

Potions were applied and a slow massage guided by how I knew to treat her. And from there the story of my life. From Zaela and our bonding to Query and his deep impact on how I could view my life.

To my father and the growing issues there and the long sessions of learning with Joy's lucario. To Lance and my hopes for him and my adorable aunt Clair who is younger than I am. Though I prefer thinking of her as a cousin.

Then finally to my dream. Up until that point Kay was just listening and saying little. Merely directing me to hurt places and seeming to hang on my every word. I think Query did the breaking that most wild pokémon needed for me because he knew it would break _me_ to do that to Kay. Its different than destroying Zaela in training. She wants it. I guess I thought it would ruin Kay's trust in me. Shows what I know about pokémon.

"Kay. I don't know where we fell away from communicating. I don't know what about me shut you off from letting me in….But my goal is to change the world. I don't think I've told you it bluntly. I seek to become so strong that anyone who attempts to grasp power to abuse it will fear the hint that me and mine know of them."

Mom's help and reassurance brought out my conviction in droves here. And I flooded the room with my usually restrained aura. I dislike letting it flow from me because of how it affects people. They look at me as if I'm something bigger than what I am. I'll fill into that role someday I hope but for now I'm not yet worth. Still, I feel stupid now. Kay looked at me with such wonder.

"I've made such mistakes with you. So many. But the biggest is failing to show you my resolve." Pulsing deep, my hand moved out. I'd pay for this days after. A glowing round ball of aura filled my hand. Do you really think I haven't been trying to make the pokémon rasengan from the moment I felt my aura?

Even if I can't see it I know my eyes are glowing with the purple color my aura takes. I disliked it wasn't the blue that Aaron is so known for but purple is cool too I guess.

"Want to know what my job is to my team?" Without warning I slammed my hand down into her stomach, pressing it in till I am touching her stomach. The healing aura floods her and strengthens her. I gasped hard, breath coming harshly as I pushed. Joy's lucario is going to scold me so hard.

Journal-kun. I trained with a combat medic. What do you think she taught me? How to fight? That's not her field of talent.

"I've...huff...been learning how to throw these. Ranged...helping hands...and heal pulse in a...never miss package. Combat, soon...Too. But my job...is to keep my family alive."

I'll admit here that I almost passed out and had to stop my move. Heal Sphere. Yeah lame name but its what it is. "I want...to seek out aura guardians. Or those who can become them. Even….hnn...if just in spirit. And guide them. Make...an order again. That...isn't dedicated to one region. That is...proactive and will go out and drag truth from the shadows until it outshines everything."

Okay I get dramatic when I'm passionate. Don't judge journal-kun.

"Its...a long term goal. Before I can...pass on what I know, I have to make sure my team are able to stand up to the world. People will try to kill me. I know this. Its why our training is so harsh and will last _years_. I know you've waited years already but...if you can see my dream as worthy please. Please let me in and give me a chance."

Ii hadn't looked up from her stomach since I started speaking, both because I was terrified of what her face might tell and because I was trembling too hard with the effort of the move I really shouldn't have used yet. My hair was around me like a shroud and stray thoughts about dying it popped up absently. Maybe I need to lay down.

Kay's response shakes me to my core even now. A small paw lifted my eyes to her wet fur. Watery perfect eyes greeted me as she just said her species name over and over in what I now know is sobbing. Shame and regret pulsed from her aura like a wound. Suddenly she was open to me.

She _knew_ that she was in the wrong. That she was defying what her parents had advised her and that she was improper. That her pride was her flaw and it wasn't even pride in something she had earned. Pain at the memories of feeling my emotions after she had hurt me for the better part of a year washed over my consciousness like angry ants biting into my skin. So many burning stings.

Added into that was the jealousy she had for my current pokémon and that she came into my life not as my starter but as the laughably weakest member of my team. Utter and complete guilt at some conversation with both Joy's lucario and Query. The one with Query hurts far more than the beating he gave her.

And under it all, the last bit. The part that makes all of the rest worth it is that I understood her dearest dream. To serve Aura. Life. Tinged with humility that I would dedicate literal decades of planned, brutal and unyielding effort to bring about a global desire to see things better.

Damnit. More crying here. And more emotion. You get the drift. What it left us was a deep bond of understanding. Along with a promise to never like to each other and especially not to ourselves.

Covered in snot and both our tears, Kay asked for a new name. That hers was the spoiled brat who thought herself a princess worthy of a knight without effort. That she was the gift to her trainer and not a humble servant of her dream.

It was easy to pick her new name. Truthseeker.

Tru for short.

Oh shit. Joy's babies are coming. Gotta go.

* * *

Truthseeker

Mistress. Query is a good soul and you deserve his loyalty, There are many things I have wished to say to you but it was always a bit too raw to return to my near year of shame. I know you would tell me to accept it and move on but I cannot deny the lessons imparted upon me by wiser mon's than I.

Perhaps as Query is attempting to tell you from these letters, you should follow your own advice. Accept and move on. Forgive me, but you did name me truly. Hah! A pun. Do not lie to yourself Mistress. You are not responsible for anything but placing faith in someone you trusted. That they were unworthy is not your fault.

Forgive me Query. This is supposed to be about how we feel about Mistress. Not about the problems of today. I agree.

I can offer no other words than I love you Mistress and that much like Query and Angel you have drastically changed my entire life. Were I not your pokémon I despair to think of what I could have become. Would I still be a riolu in the Kingdom with my head so far into the clouds that no air could reach my brain?

I do not know. I care not to know. My ego and spoiled nature shook the teachings of my upbringing into a mockery of the truth we both share. That pride is in a well done job and humble regards.

There is nothing left to say. Forgive me Query but she knows how I feel. Literally.

My aura sings in her presence and pulls hers into a dance of mutual respect that words cannot truly capture.

Do not worry though observant fool. I shall give our Mistress a different gift past this. To you, Mistress, I give memories. Shameful as they might be I owe you knowledge of how your influence began to change me before that night where you gave me my true name.

The first instance is easy to deduce. You told me of Joy's lucario. Who to this day is easily the strongest I've ever met. Not in physical strength but of her priority. All riolu and lucario are defenders of aura but Joy's lucario does it through healing first, combat second….Just as you do. Take that as you will.

When I first started training with her I was very disappointed as I was with everything not perfect in my eyes. This was the lucario that took on dragons? She would teach me meditation, which is good, at the time I just wanted to learn how to conquer enemies.

Still, she was my elder and if there was one thing I am not ashamed of myself for in that first year it is that I did not lose my sense of duty to my elders. At least till I said no to you on the training field of course.

Joy's lucario was very clever about changing my mind. Sparring would occur after she saw my restlessness. While she was very much better than me it was nothing compared to my teachers in the Kingdom. How I missed my old life then until I started noticing something.

While our battles were not overly serious, I started to see that her wounds would begin healing at ridiculous speeds. Slowly I tried to figure out her secret until she just smirked and told me to ask if I was curious. That all students that seek to become masters must first master humility and learn to ask without shame.

I did not learn that lesson well.

But what she _did_ tell me was that she had developed a method to heal pulse herself in battle because of a friend's help. That said friend knew she would often have to defend her trainer from dragons who did not at all wish to be healed due to pride.

And that this friend spent ages with her perfecting this method often late into the night without any hint of stopping until she had this trump card that fit so well with her ideal of heal first, fight last.

Essentially you helped her bounce low level heal pulses off a protect screen tinged with copycat. It wouldn't work for me then but I've duplicated it now as you know. It isn't dramatically life saving but it increased her staying power immensely.

Of course she didn't tell me it was you to start. No, she knew of our issues then. I might have hidden my emotions from you but to any lucario I was laid bare. I found out later that she had messaged my parents about this and that even if I don't think I deserved it then they had faith that their girl would shine true.

No I will not say forgive the blotches journal-kun Quer-you just wrote that down. Tch. See if I take your side against Tass again.

Back on track. I wouldn't hear of who helped her until after the second event. The way you treated your cousin. Up until that point you were nothing in my eyes. Just a second rate aura adept at best.

It is hard to reconcile that thought against the fourteen years after that first of knowing just what you can do. Of how many lives we have saved together.

A weak girl with lucky choices in pokémon. Then I saw your fight. It wasn't in person. Later your mother showed it to a few gym leaders who came to visit and advised them to take you serious when you came around in a few years. Yes, that is why they all agreed to use their main teams. At the time I had snuck in to try and use the phone to call home.

It was not my proudest moment, stuck in a closet waiting for them to leave. But the crack let me see the screen and I thought it was someone else. How could my trainer the softy save for the masochistic dragon who obviously likes being pounded in the floor be so cold and confident. Who looked to _revel_ in battle. Who would utterly destroy her opponent and have them thank her for it.

I was very, very confused. But sadly my ego still was sharply at the forefront. Jealousy ruled me then. Then I didn't even delude myself that you were worthy of being my trainer. It was that I should have been your starter. That then I would reach Zaela's height if only you had got me first.

Like all idiots with a chip on their shoulder I started lashing out to prove I was stronger. That my way was better because I couldn't have the other way without throwing away my last protection from the crime humbling myself would be.

I was the princess of the Lucario Kingdom. Trained from birth to have more ability and potential than all others before me.

Joy's lucario saw my head from across the Den and told me who taught her. It was probably her only mistake, or perhaps not if she talked to Query about it. Mistress. Zaela may be your starter but Query is the soul of this team. Even if he is writing this now for me, knowing he can hear, I implore you to remember his advice more firmly.

The final nail came from the beating you treated. Neither Query or I have spoken of it and you've never asked but I know well that you have always been curious. Here is the story then.

Inflated in self-worth to cover inadequacy and shame I decided to intrude upon Query's solitude to challenge him. Perhaps if I beat one of your team I could show you that you needed me more than the others. That you could beg me to stay and not return home and I'd guide you and not the other way around.

It is not hard to track beings you are around all day, hours upon end. Do note Mistress that while I was prideful, your training sessions in the start were worse by far than anything I had before. Until I grew used to them I thought you insane. I still do, but for more worthy reasons.

Drunk on my brilliant plan I found Query where he worked on the next of your portraits on that boulder we all know so well now. Loud and brash, I demanded he pay attention to me and battle me until I stood over him as his better.

Or something like that. Query I swear if you repeat what I said from memory I will. Do things. Things you don't like. So there.

Ahem.

Needless to say Query ignored me after a polite 'not at his time' even if I know now that inside he was quite upset with me. Of course I couldn't accept this and decided to break the stupid rock he was involved in so he'd _have_ to fight me. You would scoff, knowing that he would likely be passively reading my surface thoughts due to his then constant training in developing Psi-Fist step two so the attack that followed was surprising to me, but wouldn't have been to you.

What you perhaps would not expect was that while Query does not have a face to express emotions his eyes were truly terrifying. Our soul is the most understanding of persons at times but I truly feared for my life at the fury I had brought out of him. Now, I am clear just how much you mean to him. That the representation of you at his sculpture is such an ingrained part of him that I was essentially spitting on the concept of his life.

I think if you saw Query now it would evoke a feeling of embarrassment for our friend. He's never apologized for the beating, not that I would accept it since it led to this life, but I think he believes he should be and might be a little ashamed he doesn't want to.

In sparring I knew both of your team would go easy on me (Another point of misplaced anger on my part) even if the bruises after didn't make me feel like they did but from the moment I decided to trash his sanctuary the gloves came off and I was treated to the very precise destruction of my self-worth.

This was good though. Not at the time obviously. But I despaired then. As he took me apart and let me see how all of my attempts and tricks were pathetic to what you helped him achieve. Instead of just brutally destroying me. He let me do my best and used the least amount of effort to defeat me.

You call it benevolent breaking but he was doing it to punish me. And my was it deserved. There were no words or pleasant tones. Which of course is what Query is known for. Politeness didn't exist as I lost sight of the ground and learned what it was like to be thrown into and through threes. I give you details of the destruction because you need to recognize my pain and understand that I agree with it.

Guilt is a wound and needs to be healed. I didn't have a choice in my treatment but you do. Seek something less destructive than my path. Please Mistress. At the end Query finally did speak to me. Words couldn't come as I didn't have the strength but I was about to plead for a second chance. While he didn't speak I could feel his rage at the way I treated you. Of the nights where he held you to keep you from as much pain as possible. It was terrifying that while he was crushing me that he could pour so much emotion into me.

I did not know that he was special besides his coloring before then. That you and he had remade him.

Only at the end did he speak as I said.

"_I could say you are not worthy of her. I could say that none are. It is not for me to choose. She gave me will and she desperately seeks your acceptance and friendship. Know that I feel what you feel and at its core you seek the same. Twisted as your methods are. Just as I understand this let me say something just as true."_

Our dear Query leaned over my battered form, his two eyes flashing so bright that I could feel the a circle in the ground around me buckling at his power raging out if his normal unflappable control.

"_If I could choose I would cripple your dreams. Make sure that you burned and writhed in agony of lost potential as I stripped away your pride. I am me. But I am not human. My kind rip apart their prey brutally and without emotion because we usually do not have it. I have emotion. It was her brilliant gift to me. You've let your petty pride harm her constantly for months upon months. I have been blessed with love and acceptance from the moment she saw me. Such lovely emotions to experience and become used to."_

By now the ground was whirling about, small trees and shrubs were ripped and compacted in his soaring anger. What little energy I had left was wasted on trying to inch away. But I could not. As he let destruction flow about he kept me perfectly safe within the tempest.

"_Ella knows this about me. She calls us her monsters. I know if I did this she'd be sad and hurt but she'd still accept me. She knows we'll kill in the future. She would get over it. You are safe until you are no longer hers. I thank you. I now know what hate is and I will revel in it against you until you are worthy of a different emotion. You are also lucky as I care much more for Ella than you. I will give you what I deem your best shot at doing what you should have done the moment you met my heart-voice. Love her. Sleep."_

Query is silent now. He's still writing for me but I suppose he never told you this or expected me to actually speak all this. Maybe he's ashamed in earnest now. He shouldn't be. Our Query is an evolution of his species in my humble opinion. And for the better. I doubt he'd do the same thing again if he were who he is now but I expect I'd be just as scared of whatever his new reaction would be.

Do not think differently of him. I say this for his benefit as I know you will not. After I awoke I was of course in your bed, bleeding and healing at the same time. Everything after that you felt. I will not repeat it as it still resonates to me today and I hold it sacred. Truth requires sacrifice. A knowing of yourself to find it in others. As you've taught Tass, hardship can bring about such compassion that it makes everything worth it.

Being your pokémon has led to joy, pain and yes, hardship that cannot be readily ignored. But it is beyond worth it. I have eleven friends….Family that would die for me. And you, my Mistress who would bring them all back even if you had to pull us out of death itself.

Yours,

Tru

* * *

**This one left me a bit raw. Tru is based on a friend I had ages ago that I couldn't reconnect with. That things changed so much due to choices both sides made. Ella comes out better here yes, but in my instance it was both of us.**

**Anyway, things are going along well. There is a trip to Kanto planned next chapter and a bundle of joy called Sunshine who will hopefully get me over all this blehness from this chapter, even if I did get to have my OC murderize Lance in a battle. Later he'll get payback but this story is about cheating the fuck out of knowledge and otherworldy BS. Mmhmm. On to pokémon info!**

**Warm regards,**

**Gil**

_**1- ****Zaela ****the ****King**** G****abite**** (Female)**_

_**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**_

_**Nature: Adamant**_

_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, ****Double Team, ****Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, Rain Dance, Mud-Slap, ****Dual Chop, Slash, Dragon Claw**_

_**Combination Moves: Furnace (****Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit) ****Pain Whirl (Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and Rock Slide with a helping of Mud-Slap. Confuse them in a tornado made of giant pain rocks)**_

_**E****lla's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_

_**2- Query the ****Shiny ****Metang**** (****Identifies Male****) **_

_**A****bility: Clear Body**_

_**Nature: Quirky**_

_**Moves: Iron Head, Iron Defense, Take Down, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Psych Up, Gravity, Ally Switch, Miracle Eye , Scary Face, Brick Break, Meteor Mash, Agility, Magnet Rise, Return, Reflect, Double Team, Light Screen**_

_**Combination Moves: Psi-Fist - A method of psychic manipulation of an opponents gravity and self to make critical hits happen. A variety of punches/strikes with heavy but small piercing-like psychic stabs to balance points.**_

_**Psi-Fist Step Two- Constant mind/emotion reading to adapt to attack patterns and psychological weaknesses. Low level confusion waves to occlude and disrupt senses and to influence terror or caution depending on level of threat as well as psychological profile. Work in progress until evolution and dedicated brain to mental warfare.**_

_**3- Truthseeker(Tru) the Riolu (Female)**_

_**Abilities: Inner Focus, Prankster (Hidden)**_

_**Nature: Serious**_

_**Moves: Foresight, Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Detect, Cross Chop, Bite, Mind Reader, High Jump Kick, Agility, Vacuum Wave, Crunch, Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash**_

_**4- Sunshine the ? (Female)**_

_**Provide coverage and to help train Zaela against her type. **_

_**5- Zaela's would be mate the ****shiny**** ? (Male)**_

_**Lazy as fuck because he's too talented for his own good. ****Transportation eventually and good battler when he gets his act together. Maybe.**_

_**6- Aurora the ? (Female)**_

_**Zaela's best friend. Mother hen. ****Powerhouse and somewhat of a tank. Knows electric moves?**_

_**7- "Thunderbug" the ? (Male)**_

_**Is not actually a bug type. The group just likes to eff with him. Likes entertainment apparently.**_

_**8- Joker, Dark one the ? (Male)**_

_**Possibly the most dangerous. Also a close friend of Query.**_

_**9- Fairy number two the ? (Female)**_

_**Dedicated healer and transportation specialist. No jokes here. She's the best.**_

_**10- Ghost Tass the ? (Male)**_

_**Not much known. Other than he's got stereotypical ghost ideas. In other words, can be an ass. Also possibly dangerous. But seriously. Ghost. Big duh. But actually isn't all bad! Gotcha! Uses suffering to heal in some way, somehow.**_

_**11- Water Maiden the ? (Female)**_

_**Tank of some variety. Prideful as fuck.**_

_**12- Legend the ? (Female)**_

**Literally a legendary. Seriously. Its happening. Ella's ultimate goal for proof of her path to the world. Loses to Zaela a lot supposedly. For now. Possibly psychic or some mental ability.**


	4. Ch 4- Dreamer and Sunshine

**Not sure how long these quick updates are going to last but I really want to get to meeting Ash. Which if the way things are going is roughly chapter sixteen? Ish? I might get distracted. It would be before Ella's last team member but after a conference. Around when Ash is five I think. Oh and team mate number six is my second favorite pok****é****mon of all time so heavily invested in that. Bleh. Crembo(and later hiareportsyou) gave some good advi****c****e in his last review as of this chapter that has me thinking too. While this fic is very much meant to be about introspection and a journal I did enjoy writing Lance's fight quite a bit.**

**I'm not the greatest writer in that I tend to be very selfish in what I want to read. Rambling comes up rampantly and while there are major plot points I've got in my head and planned, ultimately I find the greatest joy in the personal relationships of uber mega monsters of power and their trainers. Its a fascinating and tempting concept. Superhero stories and such talk about people using their abilities that are apart of them. But pok****é****mon are pretty clearly human level intelligent or more. For a being like that to put their trust and faith in a fragile human?**

**Well there's a reason so many people dream of this world. So that's what this story is to me. A way to fantasize of how such monsters could adore a human and vise versa. See? Rambling.**

**Still, Crembo's words got to me. I'm not confident all that much in my writing yet so I will be continuing as is, doing what makes me happy but...After this fic is done I've another story idea that might be a step forward for how I write things. Argh! Third person is so hard for me to show passion in. Perhaps that's my problem. Oh and he noted I managed to misspell Riolu every single time in last chapter. I'm talented like that. Regardless, thank you Crembo for your advi****c****e. Also, you suck for it at the same time. So much to consider now.**

**I know my writing is rough for now and hopefully that will change in time. **

**Okay enough author stupidity. **

** Crembo- See above but I am not ignoring your advice. I just am not good enough yet to follow it and keep my inspiration. For now. Working on it.**

** Alakrux- Thank you again for your words. It really does affect me to know that this silly idea I have is providing enjoyment. Sharing my love of ****pok****é****mon ****with others is a passion. **

** frankieu- When I was growing up watching ****pok****é****mon ****that was always so frustrating for me. Charmander went from the cutest, most loyal thing to well. Asshat. I wasn't mature enough to get the point of it. I just thought it was unfair. Of course this made their reconciliation that much more satisfying. And yeah, I really liked how the battle against Lance came out, even if it was shorter than I liked I think. I seriously considered going more into it but the first six chapters are supposed to be mostly about her team. **

** hiareportsyou- I know its not easy and I'm not really caring for how well I write this story as much as getting it out of my head. I do appreciate your advice though. I might switch things up for a few chapters after the main team is assembled. Don't know. See above as well. Thank you for reviewing!**

** J4C00B0 - Thank you a lot for your words. Gotta admit I was going back and forth about critique and what not. If its given in an earnest desire to help I can't help but appreciate it. Even if it makes me get all wonky. That said, I appreciate your words quite a lot. Immensely. Much 3**

**Big battles are to start when her journey begins. I'm really, really excited to try to figure out the gym leaders' main teams and how they'll fight her. After all, they've had five years warning. Whether they take it as truth or not? Well. Plus don't forget who the eighth gym leader will be. Mother vs daughter is not going to be what you expect. Hannah Mita may not know how to deal with her odd child completely but she sure knows how to deal with trainers.**

**Disclaimer- I don't own anything pok****é****mon ****related. Just my ocs in this fic.**

* * *

Dreamer

Year Four

Its been a bit. I didn't update at all the last few months of the previous year because I was so very busy. My plan was for twelve pokémon and that's still the goal but its going to get rough when the team is more than six I think. Already specialized training is harder. Luckily Query is organizing things when one of his brains is free. Also, that's a weird concept I've gotten used to easily. Double brain. Huh.

Anyway, Tru and I are so close compared to the previous year. I can't imagine her as she was before though there are instances where we both get quiet and have a short hug. Riolu are amazing when they bond with you. Despite her newfound loyalty I'm happy to say that she doesn't hold back in teaching me combat. Joy's lucario helps us along now that I'm six and growing like a weed. Which, thank Arceus is finally happening. Mom is fairly tall for a woman but dad is nothing physically impressive. I was very, very worried that I'd take after him with how active my life is.

I'm a tough girl but I know I'm going to be traveling constantly later in life. I need muscles and stamina. I'm steadily approaching five feet quickly now though I don't expect to reach mom's height of 5'9' till I'm sixteen. I asked her about how tall she was when she was my age and she just grinned, teasing me about it for the next week. Basically I should level out at five feet and stay that way until puberty hits me hard. Joy.

Speaking of Joy! The twins are amazing. Becca and her named the boy Henry and the girl Suryein. I guess I've never describe us pinky humans in detail, or the pokémon in earnest journal-kun. But then again you don't need to know. You're here to give me unpaid psychological help. A little bit about Becca and Joy then. Joy looks like a nurse Joy. Period. No that's a joke. Her hair is much shorter and she's quite a bit bulkier than the others...That I have never seen. Oh. Hrm. I'll let you know when I actually go to a different city and see one. Compared to the anime though she's as I described.

Becca is somewhat asian in appearance as far as I can tell. I'm not sure which nation that means here but she's thin and graceful to the presence her wife gives out. They compliment each other well. She's, well, plain but is constantly happy. Their babies are tiny babies. Cute, but babies. Not hard to imagine. Both have the blueish hair that a lot of the Clan tends to have in females but some of the guys have. Red is very much among the males. Anime logic yaaaay. Which makes my honey locks stand out. Double yaaaay. Thanks dad.

A few more important people before I get to Sunshine. Who I got in Kanto. Yep! I called in my favor with my next person of interest.

Sampson Oak has grown on me so much. Which makes it very sad that he and Aurelia are leaving. I hadn't considered that he's been here for almost two years now. For the explorer that he seems to be...Wow. But then again being able to call the Dragon's Den home when not a part of the clan must be amazing. Query is as close to panicking as I've seen him. Which is odd as I'm sure he considered that Sampson would leave someday.

Aurelia will be missed but she's complained for a while that taking care of dragons is a job for younger women. She's older than Sampson by about eight or so years. Putting her around fifty-two? I really need to ask Sampson his age. I'm still young enough looking to get away with ridiculously blunt questions. Aurelia has stated that traveling the world with Sampson should be a great vacation but that she'd return in ten years or so. What? No one batted an eye. The Clan is made of people who say grand things and die trying to achieve them. Lance left alone with a single pokémon at eight. All his parents told him was to call when he knew a significant battle would occur so they could watch him obliterate the competition.

The conversation with Sampson went like this. Oh but wait. Does this mean Aurelia will show up in Alola with him now? I really want to know. But yes. Conversation.

"Saaaaampson. Oh dear sweet Oak person I adore and would neeeever blackmail." So while Tru is serious in demeanor one of her abilities is prankster and its infected us both as a way of bonding. Also I'm more snarky now in public.

Warily, the man's admittedly nice voice shows concern tinged with amusement. "Yes, That is my name oh most difficult of the little ones. Don't bother. I know what you want. Samuel is aware that I've been studying a promising young trainer." And showing just how smart he is, he tosses his family as a sacrifice. "However, I did not tell him your actual age, your team or anything besides that if he waited until I was done with my research about your team I'd start sending him dragon scales donated by species he hasn't studied yet."

Okay. Wow. How did he get the dragons to agree to _that_? Due to many scales here helping evolve seadra and millotic they are quite prized. Scales able to evolve seadra require at least an elder of any race of dragon that prefers the ocean as a home. This is some truly massive gyarados, dragonite and kingdra mostly. Gyarados don't tend to live long enough to get the power and wild dragonite tend to hoard their power. Kingdra tend to be the most amiable in terms of giving up a scale.

Prism scales are only from elder dragonite and millotic. Period. And its not even that simple. Not only must the scale come from an elder of either species but it must be infused with water energy in high doses over time. Perhaps a year or two of exposure. When do both millotic and dragonite do this? Nesting.

So to give up a part of their nest is the only way for a feebas to become a millotic through a prism scale. The other way is equally as hard but much more readily accessible. Careful and steady conditioning of a feebas in a very specific manner to promote the same energy that millotic give out to create a prism scale. Contests provide this not because of the actual contest but because the training feebas go through to become more appealing is very close to the energy needed. Beauty and strength are the ocean to a T.

"I'm not going to ask how you got all those scales because I'm much more interested in what you owe me. Good researcher." Perhaps I should tone it down a bit. A bit more serious I start wandering his home. Small and spartan as most of the Clan's buildings, there are boxes ready for shipping but his ever present notebook is spread open from where he was drawing. Might be something he and his cousin bonded over besides pokémon. "I know you want to head to Kalos next but could I offer an Alakazam trip to your cousin first before you go?"

There wasn't quite desperation in my voice. I'm mentally old but my child-body wanted to bounce up and down in excitement. Samuel Oak is almost universally loved and respected by all pokémon fans, this world or my last.

"Yes kiddo. I don't know what I'll enjoy more. Watching him see your King of a gabite, Query or your riolu. The first two are staggeringly rare of course but riolu aren't exactly common either. That'll be hilarious, but the real fun will be when you get tired of him asking questions and speak your normal." Hah! Joke's on him. Sampson would try to ask me questions when I'm training (admittedly that's a lot of the time) which didn't endear him to any of my team except Query of course. If he'd waited and scheduled more time with me ahead of time instead of wander about I'd likely have warmed to him quicker.

He learned a bit more as time went on though. "Sampson. I know we started rough but...Uhm." I didn't know what to say to convey that I'd miss him so I fell back onto my new self. Hugging him felt good and had the added gift of him making a rather amusing surprised noise.

Letting himself put his arms around me in return I smiled into his chest as his voice got just a little thick. "I know you curse so...Damnit kid. I'll miss you too. Infuriating as you know you are. This has been an amazing adventure here. Lets celebrate it by screwing with my cousin."

I might be starting to love Sampson.

Securing permission from mom wasn't that hard. Since last year's battle against Lance I've become an adult in many eyes. The Clan talk to me as if I were an adult as controlling Zaela is easily proof for most of them. Some can't see by my pretty face and lack of height but they are rare. None speak out either as mom is pretty vicious about disrespect. I knew immediately when Fate had chosen to give me my next team member.

Dad and I have been growing apart a bit over the last year but I still do my best to keep him updated on my favorite things hoping he'll share his. When I mentioned I was heading to Kanto with Sampson he said there was a young man who just invented something that he'd be trying to improve efficiency in. Stasis was a fairly old technology in pokéballs but keeping many in storage or transporting them over a hard line. Only sixteen or so right now Bill Alexander is pretty famous to pokémon fans of course.

And where was he finalizing development? The Oak ranch of course. Oh yes. I knew what was coming. Here's Sunshine's data. But there is a lot more to tell before we meet her. I want you to look forward to her though journal-kun.

_Sunshine the Eevee_

_Nature: Quirky_

_Abilities: Adaptability, Anticipation_

_Moves: Fake Tears, Tickle, Wish, Yawn, Stored Power, Tackle, Helping Hand, Baby-Doll Eyes_

Getting an alakazam wasn't hard. They've been helping keep people safe in battles for ages now and mom's gym is the last hurdle to enter the Silver Conference. Of course we had strong psychics around. Both mom and dad came to see me off with a few words of encouragement and a request from dad to ask Bill a bunch of things until I told him I'd just have him call.

I'm a bit bitter that I was more a messenger than a well wished daughter from him. Mom noticed though so he's gonna get it.

Sampson placed his hand on my shoulder, his other hand in Aurelia's as she grinned down at me. Adventure does well for Clan members and Professor Oak had a dragonite that rivals any in the Den. Of course Aurelia wanted to come. Teleporting isn't anything I'm unused to but the nerves of such a jump got to me just a little so Sampson's hand might have gotten a tad crushed in fright. As much as a seven year old can. Or will be seven later this year. Shut up. I turned six shortly after Lance left.

The sight that greeted me was everything I could have hoped for and more. I hate describing scenery as I'd much rather be out there exploring it. Most of my past life was set in one place, a hermit. I'm lucky so much of the area around Blackthorn is interesting or I doubt I'd ever be able to wait another four years for my journey.

The anime doesn't do the ranch justice. Pokémon need a lot of space to be happy. Territorial fights don't happen among trained pokémon but they still need their own place. I'm not sure if Professor Oak got a grant or some sort of deal with the Kanto government but just the lake alone that shone in the bright afternoon had to cost...I can't imagine. Glittering happily at me I couldn't help but think that in the two weeks I was going to be here that I'd be swimming it in its entirety.

Lush fields of grass up to my knees spread out around the lake, hugging it as a complement. Green and thick with trees and bushes littering it the field had herd groups of three or four running about in obvious contentment, safe in the sanctuary the ranch provided. Hooking up into mountains northwestward, the field led into a thick, dark forest. Even as far away as I was I could see what looked like a scyther coming in for a landing. East of that was much more craggy terrain that rivaled the almost small town sized lake in size. Or at least that's how it looked to my small self. A brief flash of a flamethrower or fire spin spoke of a fire type there.

I don't know how each and every biome was formed or maintained without one taking over the other. Or, indeed, how they kept the natural weather from destroying what looked like a small rain forest in the southeast but I can't help but think psychic barrier bull shit is at work or anime logic. I didn't care anyway. This was a place that I could see myself staying at for years if my goal didn't override all other desires.

A clearing of the throat brought me out of fangirl mode.

"Funny as that face is kid I think you wanted to meet my cousin?" Oh I'm going to wipe that smugface off your head Sampson. Still, he's got a point.

"Shut up. You can't tell me this isn't amazing no matter how many times you come here." That struck a cord with him and he lowered his guard to possible snark in lieu of gazing over the view. Thus he missed me kicking him in the butt and tearing down the small hill the alakazam left us on. There is only one building in the ranch that I could see. And it was massive. Labs connected almost honeycomb like with durable looking material.

I couldn't help but ignore Sampson's squawk of annoyance and Aurelia's snickers because of the sign I came across.

_Oak's Ranch_

_All who enter respect that we are guests upon this world. Seek to leave here better than when you arrived._

Stopping, I looked back at my two companions and smiled my thoughtful smile. If I had my way, no others but Professor Oak would be allowed to care for my pokémon if this turned out how I expected. I haven't met an adult I know a _lot_ about from the anime or games. Sampson is a big character to a couple of games but I never watched those seasons of the anime so I really don't know him other than the actual person. Lance and Clair are too young at the moment.

Let's see if the Pokémon Professor is as great as expected.

Journal-kun. I won't lie. I was shaking a bit when I walked bast the doors and into the cool lab of one of my heroes. My past life is fading more and more. This new one is where I belong even if I do regret not being able to say goodbye to my family back there.

Here though, Ella Mita grew up dreaming of her team. And how she could learn more about them. The pitiful one line or two entries in the pokédex of the games pale to the papers published about a particular species. Mom would shake her head at how advanced my reading would be until I'd draw her into conversations about the subject. And all the best papers were by Samuel Oak. Love of pokémon shone in his papers. Clinical stats were presented alongside his well maintained logic then opinion and suggestions about dealing with the species involved centered on relationships with humans. That's my passion. How could I not be nervous about meeting him?

A heavy slap on my shoulder ruined the moment. "Kid. Relax. Samuel has kids and regularly sponsors trainers each year. You don't have to worry." Stupid Sampson. Its not that at all. Its about what I'll do with him. Are the movies cannon? Did Samuel go to the future as a child? One of my plans was to get an in with Ash by displaying knowledge of that event. I want Ash prepared without subverting his destiny. You don't meet the goddess of Fate without having a healthy respect for consequences. I am fully planning to break some major events but some are beyond my control by a lot. And always will be. Ash is the chosen one. I'm planning to be big, but not that big.

Maybe when Ash is around five I've revisit the idea of seeing if I can give the Professor a heart attack with my knowledge. Finally calming I'm again taken out of my mood by the idiot.

"SAMMY! GET YOUR ABSENT-MINDED BUTT OUT HERE!" A grin at my outraged expression is all that Sampson gives me as Aurelia smacks him upside the head. Turns out Samuel is a klutz. A heavy crash followed by muffled cursing and yell follow along with firm steps of tapping shoes is the response.

"Legends damnit Sampson if you cause that experiment to fail I'll fuuu- I mean. Fudge the results. Yes. Hello." Eyes glaring hard at Sampson the Professor's face goes equal parts curious and resigned as he looks at his cousin, raising an eyebrow and inclining his head to myself and Aurelia.

I idly listen as Sampson introduces me. Professor Oak is in his early forties right now it seems. Or at least he looks like it. That brown color Gary has in the anime is tinged with streaks of gray and white and the crinkles around his eyes aren't as pronounced. The easy smile on his face and the brightness of the eyes seem amused and I realized he's been studying me studying him after trying to say hello.

"Oh. Forgive me. You look so similar to Sampson but much more pleasant." There. Payback. Sputtering comes from Sampson and Samuel just roars in laughter at my tone. Sticking my hand out to him I draw upon my heritage and speak with presence. That shuts him up and he gives Sampson a considering look that has the man groaning at something. "Ella Mita. It is a pleasure to meet you Professor Oak."

"So you're the trainer that Sampson was bragging about." Okay. Maybe I should have played up a kid more but I can't. This man could be my greatest ally and he loves pokémon as I do. Sampson is great but he isn't a trainer like me. Professor Oak is. Was. Whatever. "It is nice to meet you Miss Mita. Blackthorn is not too far behind us here in Pallet but I think I still have some breakfast pastries if you need a snack?"

Giving Sampson a triumphant look I just about beam at the professor. "No. I came here to meet you. I bribed Sampson to get this chance and I ate with my team at five this morning. We get up early in the Den." More raised eyebrows from Samuel and a long considering look as he examines me a bit more. Perhaps seeing the three pokéballs along my waist and the scuffs and scrapes I constantly have. He spends a long, long while staring at the various scars on my hands from dealing with Zaela's scales.

Further down he notes how my clothing is made of durable leather and that my boots are custom made and meant for harsh environment. My hair, my one vanity, is tightly braided and pulled back and up so nothing gets in my eyes. Lance's battle last year taught me that looking all cool with it whipping about my face just means it stabs me in the eyes in Zae's sandstorm.

"I see. Well. Let me go put on hold Sampson's folly as I think I'll call this trial and you can tell me why such a young lady wants with my humble self." If that came out of Sampson's mouth I'd call it so much shit but he just smiles warmly, a curious glint in his eyes and moves back towards the lab he came from. "Sampson! Show them to lab seven."

Turning about I grin at the couple and am unable to stop from squeaking in pure joy and grabbing both their hands. Sampson just lets out a snort and starts leading us deeper into the complex. Its all I can do not to pull away and explore each door we pass. The majority of my life has been spent outside and in the Dragon's Den or in the Clan grounds. The occasional trips into Blackthorn City weren't nearly as interesting as this could be.

Sensing my potential disaster making exploration Sampson hastily tries to distract me. "So why do you want to meet him? You've got powerful pokémon so I don't see you starting your journey here. Sure, his starters are strong but you don't seem the type that would meet someone _just_ for a chance at a pokémon." He's wrong of course. Bill is here. And my eevee. I'm sure of it.

Its at this point I question Fate's plan. Not in a bad way. More like what the hell? For the most part my boon of Fate has been pretty logical. Born in Blackthorn. Get a dragon starter. Dad works with the Stones? Get a beldum. Obvious Aura Adept? Riolu shows up. Dig in an aura rich cave? Get my fossil pokémon for later when the technology is ready to revive them. Maybe Fate just wanted good comedic timing.

My eevee chose that moment to come squealing her name around the corner and jump straight into my chest and act like a squirrel in a cartoon, just running around my body like it was a cat tree. Shock was my first emotion and when I reached out to her aura and was greeted by intense fear shock became instinct. The sudden and loud explosions echoing in the halls told me which of my partners I needed as well as why Eevee was terrified.

Training has been glossed over save for learned moves, strategies and growth but I am very pragmatic. I said at the start of this journal that I sought ways to break single player games. Query came out the moment I thought a tactics plan and floated up to the ceiling and started bringing up invisible reflect barriers around the corridor Eevee ran from and then hid behind an air conditioning unit while pulsing out his senses.

Did I think we were under attack? No. But an angry pokémon loose in the lab? That sounds very likely. My own aura pulsed out and caught nothing but I kept on guard as I started to soothe the little fox, carefully keeping my voice low and laced with aura to speak with her. Query stood overwatch and began to simulate every possible type that is small enough to rampage into the room.

"Hello there little one. Look at you. You're small even to me. Isn't that funny? I'm not very large yet. See?" Still holding the trembling creature to my chest after she stopped treating me like a 3-D race track I let her feel my desires. Tru has been helping me with this for about a month now. That instinctive feeling that her species are known for. To be trusted.

Eevee did that head tilt thing that all small creatures use to devastating affect. My focus was entirely upon her so I didn't notice Sampson palming his own pokéball (I didn't know he even had an actual team though it makes sense if he travels everywhere) and heading to an intercom to find out if anyone knew of what was going on. Aurelia was just looking rather bored. Explosions happen in the Den like ten times a day. And she picks up the pieces. This place was rather soft looking to her. I knew she'd react in an instant at any true sign of danger though.

"Tell me what happened little one. Come on Sunshine. You can trust me." Query often replayed this line in my head later as teasing. Cause I got that baby voice people get with well, babies and cute things.

"_You understand me! Yay! That's amazing! Are you a pokémon that looks like people? Oh! Oh no! Wait! I was running away from a boomer! You have to run! He's mean and loud and confused! So maybe not mean! Get away person mon!"_

Eevee's voice in aura sounded fucking adorable and full of honesty in the purest sense. Innocence. As to what she was speaking of? Well. An electrode rolled around the corner and Sampson made a low hiss of worry. Eevee's squeals turned into whimpering. I'd find out later that the _voltorb_ that some of the lab assistants were helping to try and control his urges to explode evolved with the knowledge of his control and promptly lost that same control due to the evolution.

Feeling only a determination to get away from the damage it was causing the Electrode reluctantly started moving towards us. To Sampson and Aurelia (Who had a baton out from _somewhere_ on her form) it looked like it was going to attack us. My voice stopped whatever they were about to do even as Query flew down, erecting more reflect screens and lacing them with light screens in a double layer of protection. Already was he mentally telling the electrode telepathically that he could keep everyone safe from a few explosions until they got the poor pokémon outside.

"Wait! Query has him. Its not what you think." Voltorb and electrode are indeed known for exploding even for fun, much less any sort of stress. Seeing the Ball pokémon fly directly over our heads and explode was quite disconcerting. Query trains against Momma though. Not with success yet. Even my whole team can't take her yet. But the strength he has is nothing to scoff at. A low hum of contentment and determination are all he says as he carries electrode out the way we came.

Still stroking Eevee as if nothing supremely dangerous just happened, and kind of like a bond villian, I followed Query along while I kept up conversation with who I was sure was my fourth pokémon.

"See? Query is my friend and will keep us safe."

"_Wow! How is he doing that? Mr. Brain who works with the head human here can lift things but not like that! Or maybe he does and just doesn't show off. Are you showing off? I guess not because you took away the scary. Uhm. Or was the boomer not scary? Some other pokémon here are very, very scary looking since my father's human took us here to learn things. And the boomer was pretty nice before he became a big boomer."_

Oh my Arceus. She must be a newborn. Zaela was cute in her own ways but nothing like this. Dragon cute is like. 'Hey! See this thing I killed for us? Want to play catch until its tender enough to eat?'

"You're just a bundle of sunshine aren't you? From what I could tell uh...Your boomer friend there was trying to get out as quick as possible. Why someone didn't get his pokéball or not I don't know. Query has it though."

"_Oh! That's easy. Boomer boomed the ball. If he's still nice it probably wasn't on purpose. Daddy says those balls are homes! Do you have a ball you go into?" _Cute head tilt. My heart. Sampson and Aurelia don't exist to me even if my aura pulsing out detects them following me after Query. A few ore explosions sound in the distance until they stop and a pleased hum flows into my mind. Evidently my boy fixed the issue.

"I do have a home but its more of a house. People don't have pokéballs. That's mainly for pokémon such as yourselves when you find a human you wish to belong with. If you do that is." Walking out the front door and a few hundred feet back towards the hill finds us at Query and a snoozing electrode in a rather larger crater. Query can't use hypnosis really but after all the self-damage the poor electrode caused itself it was easy for his confusion rays to stimulate rest.

"_Oh. He's sleepy. That's much better. We should be quiet. If we tiptoe we'll be quieter. I can show you if you want!" _A soft yeep follows as she realizes she was a little loud at that last part and she hides into my arms only to peek over and make sure electrode is still down. _"Oh. Good. What was I saying? Tip-hey you already know how to tiptoe. You're smart. Who are you?"_

This little girl must be _very_ young if she doesn't have any wariness about her or she's not spent a bit of time with wild pokémon. I'm about to open my mouth to tell her but a bunch of people in lab coats come running out and are about to demand answers until Sampson hisses out a large 'shhhh' and waves to the metang hovering over an obviously unconscious electrode. One of the coats just sighs hard in relief and tosses out a great ball that sucks up the poor creature without a single wiggle. Maybe this is his trainer? Pulling my aura back in makes me sigh a bit in relief. I'm getting better, but its still years before I'm all bad ass. I keep enough to speak with Eevee but my immediate concern is that the coats are staring at me….and my shiny pseudo-legendary.

"Erm. Hi. I'm Ella Mita. Pleased to meet you?"

I'm going to skip over the various who the hell are you really stuff and Sampson more or less treating them like an unruly mob and skip a bit forward to I would assume Lab 7 and a relieved Samuel Oak bringing up video of Query who I kept out as he's already out of the bag. Plus this place is a haven for him. Instead of watching himself efficiently deal with the issue he's floating about examining all the various consoles and doodads. Samuel has trouble deciding which he pays attention to first until he sees the way I handled Eevee on the recording and then again at the small fox asleep in my arms.

Eevee refused to leave me until she could introduce me to her daddy who is out on an errand with his human. Who is Bill. Obviously. So until they return I'm her minder.

The recording finishes as Query floats the electrode out of view. Not bothering to pull up footage from other angles Samuel sits back and strokes his chin as he watches Query float about with a pleased hum. "I saw five? Moves. Light screen, gravity, reflect, psychic and magnet rise. The reflect and light screen are obvious. Psychic to carry the electrode, gravity to aid in keeping them both steady and with less chance of anything hitting of them causing enough force to cause another explosion...Magnet rise though. To counteract any sort of stray electricity or...No. To make sure if the electrode _did_ spark that it would home in on your metang and nothing else...Query was it?

I let Query hum out an approval for his name. "Query has been trained primarily, as a close range fighter and a field commander. Think battlefield overwatch and the ability to quickly substitute himself into danger for others who may not be able to take a beating." I noted how Samuel's eyebrows kept on raising at obvious unit tactics. I would not hide this from him. Before I pulled my aura in it touched his. His lifeforce screams honesty and good intentions.

"And you say your starter is even more powerful?" A smile at those words as I pampered the sleeping Eevee with careful strokes and my boon's gift showing me that she needs a bit of a change in diet from how her fur is growing. Now that the excitement is over my mind is already building a plan for her. Assuming she's coming with me. Yeah right. I'm not letting this girl go.

"Zaela is much more than just powerful, but yes right now Query can barely beat her in close combat. But if she uses any of her terrain tactics there is no contest." Someday the gap will be much, much closer between them but their peaks of power are in very different timeframes.

The Professor just nods at that, lost in thought at the moment. Sampson shifts a bit and sighs, speaking up.

"This is going to turn into a boring discussion without doing things. So if its all the same I'll go give Aurelia the tour. Don't forget to do the same for the kid here too after you geniuses are all done being smarty pants Sammy." This must be family teasing as I know Sampson has spent hours in front of me writing and studying. Judging by Samuel's scowl I'm quite right.

Aurelia doesn't even hide her relief and drags Sampson out without anything but a nod for me and the professor. Again his gaze is off into something so I just enjoy the presence of Eevee. She's perfect. Pikachu might be the front runner for the 'cute' pokémon in my previous world but eevee was my choice. Always. Then again mostly everyone liked the Evolution pokémon as well.

"She's very taken with you. I can speak to Bill about giving her over if you like. Its obvious from your Query here that you could handle an eevee." Snapping my head up to see that Samuel has taken a seat next to me I would hug him if I could. Instead he has to settle for a bright smile of joy, then a sigh.

"Yes. Its love at first sight but we'll see what her father and more importantly, what she says first. I take it she's only a week or so old?" A short nod and an approving smile greet my words. "If you'd like to see my other two pokémon I don't mind. Zaela will require we go outside though." His eyes widen as he spots me judging how tall the ceiling is and he hastily grabs some sort of scanning device. Likely a prototype pokédex.

Standing woke eevee but if anything she was happy to talk to me some more. I get the feeling that she's lonely and starved for attention. Scratching her behind the ears gives me more pleased coos and she hops up and onto my shoulder to butt her head against my hair and start examining my scent in detail. While nothing compared to a growlithe or hondour, her nose is still quite the magnitude greater than my own. Pleased emotions radiate her like sunshine. Yes. That's how she got her name.

Query floats with Samuel and while my metang can talk to my team and I telepathically he has yet to do so to anyone else. I've not asked him why, figuring he'll tell me when he wishes. Still, he can pulse emotions and is constantly pushing curiosity at the Professor on every single thing they pass that is remotely interesting.

"_Ella? Do you like things? I like digging and the sky. They're so far apart unless you look straight ahead. Its weird! But good. Since I came here so many new things have happened. The first day I went to the lake and ran with these little round friends with tails. And then..."_

My heart. The walk through the complex takes a long while as Query provided all he wishes to know by a fascinated Professor Oak. Later he'd tell me he's never met such a socially talented psychic. Even his own alakazam dislikes being around anyone but him. Query's individualism brings such a change in normal metang behavior that for the two weeks I was there Professor Oak focused in dept at that over my boy's shiny nature.

"_...then yesterday I got to go with daddy to see what people look like besides the people I know! You're smaller than all the others! Does that mean you were just born too?" _Bright eyes lock on me in joy at the idea and she can't help but run all over me again at the idea she's got someone her age, even if she told me just moments ago she got to watch a growlithe pup learn some moves from his parent and then got to play with them after.

"No sunshine. I'm nearly seven. But I am young for a human. I won't be as tall as everyone here but I will get a lot bigger." Whatever she might make of that it doesn't matter as she's now committed to jumping all over me until I trap her. This just causes her to make low purring noises and pay attention to where we are going. "We're going to meet my other two partners. Zaela is going to be very big and fierce but she won't hurt you. Tru will be much more calm and isn't nearly as big."

Eevee takes this all in and while she snuggles in a bit further in response it might just be to get more comfortable than out of fear. After explaining what a doorbell is to Query Samuel finally leads us to what is obviously a cleared out training field. Pulling out Tru's ball I release my riolu. Her ears twitch quite a bit back and forth as she assesses the feel of the place then glances over to the professor, a slight smile on her face as she feels out his aura, finding the same thing I did.

"This is Truthseeker or Tru for short. She's my moral compass. This is Professor Oak Tru. The leading expert on pokémon and how they interact with humans. Among other things." Showing just how smart he is, Samuel just stays back with a grin and a short nod of respect before addressing Tru directly.

"If I may, this device scans you for information on your species. There is no pain or discomfort. Any information I gain will be shared once its processed." Ahhh. So that's the drawback of this pokédex. It isn't instant yet. Tru just nods her agreement and its a quick flash later that Query hovers in front in obvious consent as well. Once they are done Tru pads over to peer at Eevee.

"_Is this a new teammate Mistress? She seems small but kind."_

"_Teammate! What's that? Who are you? And yes I'm kind! I don't want to be mean. Wait. Do you think I am mean?"_

Laughing a bit, I walk a bit back to give Zaela room as I soothe Eevee. "No. She can sense if you are nice like I can. And teammate means that you would become my pokémon and train with me. I'll tell you more later. For now do remember what I said of Zaela."

My starter emerges with a flash but without her usual roar of intimidation. She heard all of what has been happening in her ball and knows not to frighten a baby. Something that all pokémon agree on is that newborns should be protected above all else. Eggs are sacred among them save for a few of the carnivorous species such as ekans.

Zaela turns to the mouth-agape professor as he realizes that Query isn't the most special of my pokémon at all. King's Nature is so utterly rare that almost no in depth studies exist. The last trained King pokémon was somewhere in Unova around fifth years ago before the regions became more open about trade and travel.

"….Sampson kept this from me for dragon scales?!" Letting the man rage a bit felt nice as Zaela preened and allows him to scan her, even if he was muttering under his breath like mad. Come to think of it, he has a dragonite. Yeah that was a raw deal. Sure new scales from other species is cooool...But Zaela is amazing.

"You take good care of...Zaela. That's obvious. I don't get to study gabite at all but from what I've read everything here looks perfect. The scans will tell me anything more. You said you are staying two weeks? Is there any chance I could bribe you for a month?" From the eagerness he's trying to keep down I can tell he'd happily keep us here until he could pry every piece of data about my pokémon as possible. So while I would do it for free, I should get something from him.

"If you have your dragonite teach Zaela Draco Meteor and anything else they are willing then yes. Mother has a pokémon who knows it but your dragonite was a Champion. That is my request." Tru wants nothing here but a quiet place to train with me. Query will get more than he ever could want learning here...But my starter thrives on hard work.

I don't get my answer right away as he stares deep into my eyes and then at Zaela once more. I can tell he's probably going to deny that weapon of mass destruction from going into my hands at least perhaps until I'm older so I give my last trump card unless I want to pull anime knowledge out.

One hand raises to keep him from talking then goes palm up. Aura condenses and solidifies, shaping the sphere I've worked so hard to become mine. Winking at his again jaw-dropped expression I keep Eevee carefully against my chest and toss the sphere to take a chunk out of a nearby training post. Its not up to pokémon standards yet but for a human? Beyond impressive.

"Let me calm Eevee down and let's go have some tea Professor. Then I'll tell you of my dream and see if I can't show you why I can be trusted."

That was the first step of getting the Pokémon Professor as one of my backers. Next up is Bill.

Next day

Eevee is mine. Almost immediately it was settled when Bill returned. Why? Eevee's father is an Espeon. The moment he felt me and went into the part of my mind I leave open for Query he knew. I would cherish his daughter and my team would keep her safe. That she couldn't stop talking about me and all the 'really super cool' things I could do meant a lot as well. Still, we had a long conversation about what I wanted in my life. I didn't lie. I told him I would lead her into danger, even if it was years later. Pokémon are not afraid of such things. They care more about a fulfilling life than an overly safe one.

Meeting Bill was rather anticlimactic though. I gave my message from Dad and he all but ignore me, just waving off that I wanted Eevee as soon as I had Espeon's approval. Espeon informed me in a slightly amused tone that they were seeking a trainer for Eevee anyway as she requires more attention than they could give her. Her mother apparently was a fling of sorts and didn't want to raise a kit. Espeon however was willing to stick it out until they found her a trainer or even after if they did not.

Explaining it to her was interesting though.

"_So I get a ball?! Yay! They are so bright and round! And look like a mini- boomer! Oh no! Will they blow up to?" _Frantic circles of worry followed this as I just couldn't take it. Laughing harder than I have since I came to this world I just laid back on the bed in the small room I'm using here for the now month I was allowed. Mom more or less knew my plan so a quick call back home and promises to keep in touch every other day at the most meant Zaela got to train with another Champion level pokémon.

Immediately abandoning her own worry, Eevee jumped up on the bed to console me from whatever was happening to make me flail about but it faded into giggles of her own.

"_Why are you laughing? That's funny. Your laughter is nice. Now I'm laughing!"_Rolling her over into a hug I sighed and wiped away tears as I shake my head, pulling out one of my swiped premier balls from all that time ago.

"It means Eevee that I will become your family. So will Tru, Zaela and Query." Query was easily her favorite. The calm, kind metang let her crawl all over him and patiently answered any and all questions she had for hours last night as I was writing out my plan to abuse the opportunity to train and learn in this place for a month. The long discussion on softness of fur was particularly amusing as Query didn't even consider he couldn't feel such a thing and requested a memory of softness from me before bed because of it.

"_Oh. You mean...You'd be my mom?" _Oh god. Heart dead. Also I know its pokémon nature but eff Eevee's mom.

"Sort of? I'd take care of you. Train you to become strong and healthy. We'd go back to my home and meet my family then live there for a while before we travel the world." My ball of sunshine didn't know what years or real time was yet so have to keep it a bit simple.

The little fox got a very thoughtful expression on her face and started walking in circles to think. Very tiny circles. I hope this becomes her habit. Soooooo cute. Eventually she peered up at me and there was just the smallest bit of true realization of what this meant for her life.

"_You're nice. And feel like home. But even if you're young and small I think I like you being my mom." _Much purring started as she leaped into my lap and curled up. Of course, her head shot up a second later. _"Wait! Does that mean I won't see dad?!"_

Soft chuckles keep me from replying right away as my hand already finds the places she likes being scratched. "We can visit if you like at times but we will spend most of our time away. There is however this wonderous thing called the video-phone that can let you talk to him from anywhere in the world."

Wonder filled her eyes as she wagged her tail furiously at the idea and curled right back up, worry gone. "One last thing. All my pokémon have names other than your species. I thought of one for you minutes after we met. Would you like it?" Squeals of excitement gave me my answer.

"Sunshine. You're my Sunshine."

End of trip,

Been so busy Journal-kun. So uhm. I've been trying to get Sunshine to evolve into a Sylveon as I want her way more durable around Zaela. Who is having trouble controlling draco meteor.

My starter is strong enough to use it but she's also not a special attacker. Her adamant nature doesn't mean the move is weaker here but rather that she has a harder time controlling it. Needless to say that the ground and rock types have been working overtime repairing the ranch at places. Good thing the Professor doesn't care. Already the data he's analyzed is helping him track evolution patterns in ways I don't understand but have him slobbering at the mouth to see Zaela when she becomes a garchomp.

Now. I'd keep Sunshine or Sunny for short away all the time but she _loves_ having a family. Her countenance is so bright that even my battle maniac starter does her best to treat Sunny carefully. The issue is that the second she can Sunny will wander off to see the pretty light show that is my starter's training. So I made a deal. She could do so as long as she trains hard with me every day and we get her evolved. You might think that this is too soon for her? She's only a few weeks old?

Well it is to an extent but she's very strong. My boon tells me that she'll be behind in power for a long while if I allowed this to happen but we still have a bit over three years to go. I'm fine with the long haul and I'm very afraid she's going to get truly hurt. Having her immune to Zaela's strongest and least accurate move would ease my mind a lot.

So I knew she had baby-doll eyes and so we trained. Nothing too hard but she took to it well. Its a joy for her to be playing with her family and any pain in it just makes her more determined when she sees Tru tank a hit that would put her out and counter it. Three weeks later and after a long day of running around the ranch we found ourselves looking at the fading sun. I was careful to keep her well groomed and to concentrate on the energy she feels with baby-doll eyes so I don't accidentally get an Umbreon or Espeon.

Of course, I did tell her all the choices she could have but also said that if she chose a sylveon she'd have extra hand-like ribbons she could use to manipulate things and that it would be the safest form for her to have to be able to be around Zaela. Who she calls aunt. Cause I'm her mom. I knew some pokémon felt that way. Ones hatched obviously. But...thinking about that later.

There we were, just relaxing. Query was off with Tru somewhere near all the fighting pokémon. They both wanted to learn move moves such as rock smash and the like for use in our travels so they'd been collecting basically HM moves. Zaela has been apart from me for all but one day a week with dragonite. She's drawn to his strength and keeps badgering him to teach her more with a promise of fighting him when she evolves. I guess he gets bored easily around here. This was the most my starter was away from me from birth.

Its a bit of an odd feeling...But it also has meant I can focus entirely on Sunny.

As the sun set she looked up at me, eyes shining with fairy energy that she's been using with single minded effort from the moment I told her of what a Sylveon was. Fate really got my choice right. The soft glow of evolution took her. Her body extended over mine, flowing outward as streamers made of fairy energy formed into her new limbs? Tentacles? Pink and white fur cover her body as bright blue eyes beam up at me. Chirping in almost her exact same voice my Sylveon starts dancing about in joy.

Laughing with her we spend the next few hours getting her used to walking about and using her tassles. Honestly, she's a natural with her feelers and she delights in holding my hand as she walks with me. Here's the part that got me cursing at my stupidity. I've never heard mom talk about fairy types. Just ice and dragon for weaknesses. I was so absorbed in building a base that resistance training and counters were for well, this year and the sixth year. Fighting momma already covered dragon fights.

Thus the next day when I handed Professor Oak Sunny's pokéball and asked if he could check her out for any issues it was quite the pleasure to see his eyes widen at what the scan told him. Fairy types are not common at all and it told a lot that I could get Sunny to be that trusting of me already. But honestly I think its aura again and I am sacrificing much of her power until much later in her life. Still, it should even out about when I start my journey.

"It says a lot of you that Sunny would evolve for you Ella but I do hope you did not pressure her into this. Growlithe that are given fire stones near to birth almost never reach their full potential." The cool tone in his voice actually made me think higher of him yet again but I nodded.

"I'm aware her growth will be much slower now. Believe me. I am used to slowly growing pokémon." Though of course Zaela was powerful from the start.

Nothing much was said after that save to remind me of things I already knew about caring for her but they were actually helpful in reminding me of priorities. She's going to be using her feelers constantly for everything she does for a while to get her stronger and fairy moves would come rather slowly until she got used to the new energy her body is attuned to.

Conversations with Samuel got a bit more uncomfortable after that but once he saw how happy Sunny was and how I wasn't training her nearly as hard as even Tru the professor warmed right back up to me.

The last bit of time at the ranch went by quick. Tru had learned that her kind is very much appreciated to mediate disputes and she reveled in a taste of what we would do in the future. Query absorbed so much that I was a bit worried I wouldn't be able to pry him away from the ranch. Zaela was the one who changed the most after my new sylveon though. Draco Meteor would be the rest of the year's training for her.

The advantages of tossing down hunks of draconic fury just as an advantage to her terrain control cannot be denied. I don't plan to let her work on any other move and she agrees. Frankly I don't know if she'll even finish it this year. This is the lull of our long term plan to be utterly strong from gym number one. Where the middle evolutions take up the most amount of time on base ability.

Anyway, tomorrow we're heading home. Mom has been getting a bit edgy about me being out of her sight and I will admit that I miss her more than I let on. Suppose I'll write after I get back home.

Two days later

I was right way back when. I _am_ getting something from Samuel later. He told me to come back in six or so months and if I'd proven that Sunny wasn't harmed by my treatment of her that he'd give me a pokémon egg. My dream resonated with him after seeing me work as hard as my team so early in life for my goal. It was shaken a bit by how Sunny evolved but he must judge me worthy in _some_ way to give me this chance. Also, found out that fairy type are still very, very rare. Mom usually only has five or six challengers a year with one and she was planning training me against them next year. Now that I have one she's demanding my help when Sunny is ready knocking in some heads around the Den.

That'll be fun but probably not for the rest of this year. Only a month in and I can tell this is going to be a boring one. We're going to take some time off and just relax. Zaela will spend that training anyway but I know Query wants to find someone new to play board games with since Sampson is gone. Tru and Joy's lucario are going to start on medic training in earnest and I'm showing Sunny my home.

A one month break after over three years of relentless effort. Yeah. Sounds good.

A few months later.

So that ended up being more time than expected. A lot of it was just catching up on things. Despite all I'm writing here and how skilled I appear with pokémon I still am visibly a child so there is school and such. I was opted out for self study a long while ago but I still do have to turn it in to get a trainer's license someday. So I was a little behind my goal but way ahead of the actual class.

Sunny has fit in perfect even if her early evolution is indeed biting me in the ass. Fairy moves are coming along well but her esoteric abilities I honestly should have waited for. Or so I'd say if her typing hadn't saved her already from some damage. Draco Meteor is very, very dangerous and we're only allowed to train in Momma's territory. My mom was less than pleased to learn what I was getting from Oak's dragonite but helped me anyway with methods to control it.

Its very likely that the moves I want for Sunny won't come about until next year. For now its a slow build up of her body and just letting her grow. I was spoiled with Zaela. She was built for combat from birth. Query was ready for evolution when we met or close to and Tru was five years old before she came to us.

Ultimately I don't really mind. Sunny brings us up like nothing else. She'll gather flowers and wave them around like a cheerleader when we're flagging or start singing nonsense to cheer us up. She regularly babysits for Joy and Becca with me and its amazing to see how gentle and patient she can be with the twins considering how hyper my sylveon can be otherwise.

I will admit its very nice to have one of my pokémon who cuddles to sleep with me as well. Its not safe for Zaela or Query to do so and Tru might have mellowed but I can imagine the look of disbelief if I asked her for a cuddle. I think I'd be dodging force palms. Its another aspect of having a pokémon that I neglected to think of. When I made my list years past I was thinking mostly about combat and my favorite pokémon. The simple act of Sunny laid across my lap asleep while I read fills me with contentment I didn't know I needed.

I think this year will be about basics and playing to our strengths. When number five arrives and brings more diversity I think we're going to go heavy into more combo moves. I deserve to be a kid for a bit right? I'll see what my team thinks.

A few more months later

Turns out this was a good plan. Took Zaela to Joy for a bit of an in depth checkup. This happens at least three times a year for each of my team. Use of draco meteor to the level she has been using it has strained her a bit more than expected. She can still use it but we're limited to a certain amount every other day for some months just to be safe. She hates it but it also means she can focus on her physical attacks. Its long overdo really.

So the next few months are her slashing things to bits constantly. And combining energies into single blows. Basically using slash constantly. We'll see what comes of it.

Query is the only one of us that is in perfect condition but then again he's always known his limits well. My boy. He did find a partner for his board games though. Older fellow who just answers to Bud. In his seventies. They don't ever talk. Just play. Go figure.

Tru is growing steadily and needs a bit more on on one these days as our sparring is getting more intense. She's still not close to evolution but she is learning quite a lot. Heal pulse will come after she becomes a lucario but she's gotten force palm and copycat down. What is truly fun is that she can use different energy on each hand or say, toss out a bullet punch and turn it into a meteor mash halfway to her opponent. She can't yet switch move types mid swing but it sounds like that's our next goal. Her issue is she's still a bit uptight at times and restless but our meditation is becoming a daily thing we share together. It helps both of us immensely.

The most change is definitely Sunny. While still quite childish she's mature in a lot of ways and I may have to rethink making her an overpowered monster. Not because she can't do so. She can despite her early evolution. I think its because she just doesn't have the drive my other pokémon do. Perhaps that will change in time but her idea of happiness is to help us get there. I know she has wish so maybe my list of medics will change to three.

Perhaps by the time I start my journey I'll know for sure. Maybe like a bard from d&d? Primarily buffs and disrupts? That actually might work very well. Whatever the case she still has about six more months of growing before I can push her hard. She doesn't really mind. She only as hard as she did as eevee so she could safely stand with us for support.

Not sure I'll write more this year unless I need to. The plan is to be pretty boring until I go pick up my egg from Professor Oak. Assuming he approves of Sunny.

Nearing the end of the year.

Got my egg. Its what I expected. The team dotes over it and yeah, the Professor was very pleased to see that I'm being patient with Sunny. The conversations we had about his poems were pretty fantastic. Might write that down later but the important thing is is that I'm setting the ground work to help Ash later. My reward for all this effort are my pokémon. And what a reward it is. I'm going to leave this year with a conversation I had with Sunshine after I thought to ask her if she'd like a different type of battling or if she wanted to battle at all.

"Sunny...I've been thinking about something for a long while. When we first met I had expectations I didn't share with you. I've never forced them on you but I did think that it would occur as I wanted. Sorry for that." I'm growing too, even if this is my second life. It wasn't pleasant that I just assumed my girl wanted what I wanted.

"_Its okay momma! I knew you meant well. Besides. You give me ice cream. We're even." _Shaking my head I tried not to smile. She's still simple in her desires but when presented with something sincere she can show me quite a lot.

"It was wrong, really. I'm supposed to look out for your interests. All the others want what I want. But I've never really asked you what you desire. And not what to eat tonight or to play. Tell me what you want for the future. Or you can tell me to come back later when you've got time to think of it." I might be a bit unfair to her now. She's still quite young.

"_You don't need to worry. I know you do that all the time. I can feel it." _Her ribbons came up, caressing my face and easing my frown as she started rubbing against my legs. _"There doesn't have to be something all confusing and complicated momma! I am with you because this is where I belong. I don't like battling but I do quite like protecting you. So I'll get stronger when you need me to. But you don't right now do you?" _Head tilt. My heart. Every time.

"No...Not now. Someday I will though. If you change your mind you can always say no. You're my precious girl after all." Leaning down and hugging her was exactly what I needed. My Sunshine through and through. Her feelers wrapped around me, pulsing with calming emotions as she rubbed her cheeks against my face with a giggle.

"_Silly momma. I'll never change my mind about you. We're family."_

* * *

Sunshine

Mooooom. Query is being stupid. I'm not going to change! I don't like sitting here and being all….Bored! If I want to tell Mom how I feel I'll just go hug her! Stupid!

He's stupid.

Fine. I'll say a bit. But this is ridiculous. Tru too! And Angel! All of us have emotion abilities! Why are we not just going and saying this to you?! You light up when I hug you. Every time.

He's really stupid.

I'm smacking him right now Mom. Look! He has to write it because he said he'd write everything I'm thinking.

Potato. Band aids. Fish sticks. Pudding. Maybe I'm hungry. Not sure where the band aids come from.

Urgh. Blargh! Stupid Query!

All I want to do is go play with Aurora. She said she'd make stepping stones for me on the lake over there and its nice and cool out. It was so hot last week.

Query is glaring at me. How he does that without a mouth I don't know. I'm sticking my tongue out at him now. Hah! Take that.

I love you! There! That's enough right Query? I'll give her _two_ hugs to make her feel better.

Its not as if I don't care about you a lot! You're my mom. I adore you. You've given me my whole life. But you live on doing things. Same as me. I mean. Your doing things are running into danger and saving people. That's amazing! And epic. Tass said to say that.

Oh! Tass tell me what to say so Query won't bother me about this.

Ew. No. That's not nice.

Ewwwww. Okay go away. Bad idea.

Do you remember when I was small enough to ride on you Mom? Those were good days. Think if you ever have hatchlings that they can ride on me?! Oh oh! That'd be amazing.

I'd show them how to skip rocks and where to find good berries and how to bother Query for being so STUPID!

What do you mean humans don't hatch eggs? What? See? He's stupid. Psh. No eggs.

Wait really? Aurora said that's true. Huh. Well now I know what I'm asking you first when you get back!

More smacking Query….Did you know it makes different sounds where you hit him? We could make music _and_ annoy him at the same time. He likes being efficient right?

Zaela is laughing really hard right now. How come Thunderbug got to go with you to see your mom? Why do we have to stay here and wait? Your mom loves me! Even if I beat up kingdra that one time.

This is my letter now Query! I'll say what I like!

Don't you shake your head at me! Yes I know you can't physically do that but I _felt it._

Zaela's really laughing now. I like the sound. Maybe some good comes of this stupid letter that doesn't let me actually show you how I feel.

Tass wants to tell you that he wants more cookies. Uhm. Me too?

Aurora wants some new types of pasta. Oh! Maybe we can go get it ourselves. There is an emergency card in the nearest safehouse right?

Wait. She doesn't get this letter right away? Its for _after_ she gets back? Well then who will get our cookies Tru? Hmm?

Us! That's who! To victory and cookies! I only said that in hopes Zaela considers it victory. Cause she'd totally go after it then.

Yes! Tru says she'll go get us food if it stops that 'look' in Zaela's eyes. I don't know what that means. At least I get cookies now.

Why doesn't this go to her immediately like when she writes on that square thing with the videos? Oh shut up Tass. You don't know either.

Nevermind Query. I'm going to end this with mushy things like you want. I'm the queen of mush.

I don't know why you are hurting Mom. Its not that I don't care its just that you're never alone. You have me. And I guess Query and the rest.

And I will love you forever. So cheer up. Right now. So there.

Really Mom. Love you. Please be better.

Now I'm sad. Query's idea sucks.

See you when you get back.

* * *

**A bit longer that usual but I really enjoyed imagining Oak's ranch. Still plodding along until I hit a break in my inspiration. Right now though I'm enjoying this all a ton. Next chapter has Zaela's (eventual) crush and someone I'm a bit afraid a bit of writing. Probably a lot more combat next chapter too. On to the team!**

**_**1- Zaela the King Gabite (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Adamant**_**

_**_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, Double Team, Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, Rain Dance, Mud-Slap, Dual Chop, Slash, Dragon Claw, **_**__**_**Draco Meteor (Not at all mastered)**_**_

**_**Combination Moves: Furnace (Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit) Pain Whirl (Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and Rock Slide with a helping of Mud-Slap. Confuse them in a tornado made of giant pain rocks)**_**

**_**Ella's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_**

**_**2- Query the Shiny Metang (Identifies Male)**_**

**_**Ability: Clear Body**_**

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

_**_**Moves: Iron Head, Iron Defense, Take Down, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Psych Up, Gravity, Ally Switch, Miracle Eye , Scary Face, Brick Break, Meteor Mash, Agility, Magnet Rise, Return, Reflect, Double Team, Light Screen, **_**__**_**Rock Smash**_**_

**_**Combination Moves: Psi-Fist - A method of psychic manipulation of an opponents gravity and self to make critical hits happen. A variety of punches/strikes with heavy but small piercing-like psychic stabs to balance points.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Two- Constant mind/emotion reading to adapt to attack patterns and psychological weaknesses. Low level confusion waves to occlude and disrupt senses and to influence terror or caution depending on level of threat as well as psychological profile. Work in progress until evolution and dedicated brain to mental warfare.**_**

**_**3- Truthseeker(Tru) the Riolu (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Inner Focus, Prankster (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Serious**_**

_**_**Moves: Foresight, Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Detect, Cross Chop, Bite, Mind Reader, High Jump Kick, Agility, Vacuum Wave, Crunch, Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash, **_**__**_**Copycat, Rock Smash, Force Palm**_**_

_**_**4- Sunshine**_**__**_**(Sunny)**_**__**_** the **_**__**_**Sylveon**_**__**_** (Female)**_**_

**_**Abilities: Cute Charm, **_****_**Pixilate (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

**_**Moves: **_****_**Fake Tears, Tickle, Wish, Yawn, Stored Power, Tackle, Helping Hand, Baby-Doll Eyes, **_****_**Fairy Wind, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack**_**

**_**5- Zaela's would be mate the shiny ? (Male)**_**

**_**Lazy as fuck because he's too talented for his own good. Transportation eventually and good battler when he gets his act together. Maybe.**_**

**_**6- Aurora the ? (Female)**_**

**_**Zaela's best friend. Mother hen. Powerhouse and somewhat of a tank. Knows electric moves?**_**

**_**7- "Thunderbug" the ? (Male)**_**

**_**Is not actually a bug type. The group just likes to eff with him. Likes entertainment apparently.**_**

**_**8- Joker, Dark one the ? (Male)**_**

**_**Possibly the most dangerous. Also a close friend of Query.**_**

_**_**9- **_**__**_**Angel**_**__**_** the ? (Female)**_**_

**_**Dedicated healer and transportation specialist. No jokes here. She's the best.**_**

**_**10- Ghost Tass the ? (Male)**_**

**_**Not much known. Other than he's got stereotypical ghost ideas. In other words, can be an ass. Also possibly dangerous. But seriously. Ghost. Big duh. But actually isn't all bad! Gotcha! Uses suffering to heal in some way, somehow.**_**

**_**11- Water Maiden the ? (Female)**_**

**_**Tank of some variety. Prideful as fuck.**_**

**_**12- Legend the ? (Female)**_**

**_**Literally a legendary. Seriously. Its happening. Ella's ultimate goal for proof of her path to the world. Loses to Zaela a lot supposedly. For now. Possibly psychic or some mental ability.**_**


	5. Ch 5- Dreamer and Genius

**I'm very humbled by all the people who've enjoyed this so far. This chapter is about where our dear human MC meets the price for both her dream and all the rare pokémon she bargained for. Even if this is a fantasy that I've had in my head for ages and it definitely is a sort of power trip I just _couldn't_ justify all the power she gets without cost.**

**I'm really excited to share this chapter. Was losing sleep thinking about it so here I am at 5am starting it.**

** Crembo- Thanks! You really got me thinking last chapter. Appreciate your continued support by simply just reading this mess of mine.**

** frankiu- Appreciate every one of your reviews. Ahem. I will admit I forgot to show Ella saying goodbye to Sampson. Will add that bit in at the start here. They'll meet again later and more trolling will abound. Prof Oak is probably my favorite character in the anime. He cares for all pokémon. **

** Alakrux- Making me blush again! Sunshine writes herself. Its how I imagine my daughter would be. Adorable and _weird_. A joy to the world. Sunshine will show her place in this chapter in the way she was meant to even more than she already does.**

**Disclaimer- I don't own anything pokémon. Only the oc's here.**

* * *

Dreamer

Year Five

So excited. My charmander egg is going to hatch next week. Its been about a month and a half since last year ended and things are great. Sunshine will be ready to train in earnest soon. We've agreed upon being support than front line fighting. Its highly likely she won't be in any gym battles unless absolutely needed. She's happy to do more but I am fine in letting her just share our journey and helping when really needed.

Tru and I have had another breakthrough. My aura is rising hard. I still couldn't take on but the lowest of pokémon in combat but my healing abilities are almost on par with a newly evolved lucario's heal pulse. I don't have any other measure than Joy's lucario and the few Clan members who have non-dragon team members with some healing moves. Throwing heal spheres is still beyond me but for a few times but we're working on it. Tru is growing into her own, finding balance. She's still a bit too serious but we've taken up more and more things together.

Sunshine and her are often with me everywhere. There is a lot to be said for having a riolu about as an aura user. Our closeness has driven our abilities to sync in what Query calls near gestalt. When we are almost one in purpose our sensing abilities join and exponentially grow. The few times we've managed it on purpose we could feel every pokémon and person within almost a mile. It put us down for an hour of much needed rest the first time but we're training past that. She's smiling more and more.

Sunshine follows me because I'm her mom and she comes to me for explaining all the new things she sees. That and while she enjoys new people there is a habit I may have to break. Since finding out that I can sense everyone's intentions more or less from afar she's grown up trusting everyone I do and can feel it with her ribbon wrapped around my wrist. I want her to be able to be independent eventually but also to rely on her own instincts if I'm not around. I don't plan to be absent but best to plan for contingencies.

Sunshine live sup to her name though. Even Tru smiles around her a lot. Its hard not to when my riolu and I can literally feel the ever present joy radiating from her. Also? I know fairies are dragons' worst enemy in typing but Zaela _loves_ Sunshine. I'm her mother really. Adopted or not. And Zaela hadn't let it be known but she was planning to spoil the fuck out of my children. She didn't care if they were pokémon or not.

Apparently seeing a sylveon getting rides by the largest gabite in the world (that we know of) boggles people's mind. But yep. Zaela enjoys giving rides to her. Who knew.

Not much to say about Query other than he is just as odd as ever for a psychic. I love him to bits. He informed me that he feels that he'll be ready for evolution once he's defeated Bud in checkers at least three hundred and...twenty-six? More times. I was very confused until he said it was a joke and that the number was actually the amount of days until it was the fourth year anniversary of our first meeting. I got a little choked up. If he wanted it to be that day then he's already planned out how to accomplish it.

I forgot to say how I said goodbye to Sampson and Aurelia last year! I'm a bad friend journal-kun. It wasn't anything overly special. Mostly just shit-talking and a bit of a promise. I'll share.

Sampson was grabbing one of dad's new storage backpacks. Aurelia, quiet as always really, was just smiling at me our Clan smirk. The one that says we're both bad asses and to grow stronger so we can fight the next time we meet. Or like, just enjoy our next talk. Its a toss up.

"Well kid. We had a rough start, mostly my excitement, but here we are." Opening his arms for me I obliged, hugging him with enough force to get a grunt out of him. Tears may have gotten on his silly Alolan shirt.

Pulling back to look up at him, my grin is wide and bright. "Stay safe jerkface. If you get Aurelia into trouble that she doesn't approve of I'll kick you." I can kick really hard. He paled just the tiniest bit. It ended in a laugh though as he messed up my hair. Why does everyone do that?

"Agreed. Oh. You're the first that we're telling." Aurelia just chuckles her deep chuckle and waves an engagement ring at me. Yep. Canon is really fucked now. Of course I can't really tell if this was even really the anime or game world. Who cares? It won't change my decisions.

"If you think that after four years of constant training I didn't see that already….Okay I'm just shitting you. Congrats!" More hugging. Harder this time in that way that makes you really feel the emotion.

"We'll send you a postcard. Its just going to be us wherever we find the right spot. So don't get upset about not being invited. You will be there with us in our hearts or some sappy crap." I'm glad Aurelia is there to smack him upside the head. I'm not tall enough yet to do it while hugging him. We part then and I sigh as he pulls a pokéball open. A remarkably awake hypno blinks at me with a pulse of curiosity but then looks to my idiot friend.

"Love ya kid. Stay safe and conquer the world. I know you'll shock people." With a wink he and Aurelia are gone, teleported closer to Kalos. He had to have the last word.

So yeah. I miss him. And Lance. Who by the way came in second at his first conference. It was a joy to cheer him on even if it was from afar. He decided to take a year off from the circuit and go off and train someplace dangerous. Far as we know he's off in Sinnoh teaching his team to resist the cold. Still my hero.

Clair is growing into her own. Sunshine and her get along so well I'm a bit worried they're going to murder me with cuteness. Its all playing and chasing each other everywhere. She'll be getting a starter later this year and off on her journey early next. She's a year older than me but doesn't act like it. Her parents are looking for a traveling partner for her. Clair will turn into a bad ass but not right now. She needs help on her journey. I've got an idea on that and am going to ruthlessly exploit my connection to the target.

I've grown as well. I don't speak on it much but I've gotten very fit. The little girl who could be a dress up doll is gone. My active life has made me fast and agile. Stamina is king for me. Pushing myself to not be a burden to my team has been beyond rough. I'll never match them but that isn't the point. Just being able to stay close is my goal.

That's about all the updates. Gonna go check on the egg. Years later I kind of wish I hadn't insisted on putting a shiny tag on my coming pseudo-dragon. But really? What type of pokémon fan would I be if I didn't covet a shiny charizard? Soooooo cool. The time here has mellowed me enough that I know I'd love him even if he were regular color though. Can't wait for him to be here.

Hatching day

There are no words. Well there are but they're pretty pathetic compared to the reality. Evolution and the hatching of an egg here are so much more than is shown in the show. Bright light and the rapid growth are there certainly. But it doesn't talk about the presence of something greater entering the world. Or the wonder of the creature that comes at the next stage in their life.

Hatching my charmander is even more than that. The egg rocked for quite a few days. No riding a bike in circles with a flame body pokémon here and expecting it to take mere minutes. Zaela was going to set up a nest or something but Momma made it known that the egg was hers to take care of if we wanted the best new pillar of destruction thank you very much.

Zaela may be getting closer to taking on her mom in a real way but she knows when to back down. My whole team rotated in Momma's den for the days of hatching and I rode Zaela for the first time when Query pulsed out a message that it was time. I had gone down to the Clan compound to get us more food and extra blankets. When I told Zaela and Momma what was in the egg they told me if I wanted the most out of my future charizard that I should spend the first few months in the wild with themselves

Considering that Zaela's sire was a charizard that Momma flat out refuses to let us meet still when he comes about every couple years I took their advice. Riding Zaela was terrifying even without the flying we'll get in her last form. My sister is massive and quick even just stomping across the ground.

It also felt like bonding with her at her hatching all over again. We agreed to do it more often.

When I arrived it was to Momma hovering over Sunshine who was the only one of us besides me who we let snuggle up around the egg for warmth. Query's body is too cool and Tru, bless her, doesn't know what to do with the egg. Just that she loves it and has a hard time showing such emotions. Zaela's skin is too rough for any eggs but steel types and eventually her own. We wouldn't risk charmander on it though my in dept knowledge confirmed it probably would be okay.

Oh. Momma loves Sunshine too. Sees her as her grandchild since she made it known I was her daughter too so long ago. I'm willing to bet Samuel would give a lot to see how being around me has changed the Champion, ancient garchomp. I'll ask her if she minds talking about it with him if he ever visits. She's changed so much. Momma will never be gentle but she's definitely warm and caring in her own way. Translation: Beats us the fuck up for our own good. Its been made clear that if we don't defeat her six on one at least once before we leave that she'll be very disappointed.

As if waiting for me to arrive the egg began to pulse out energy. There is no real glow and then the egg just vanishes like in the show. Cracking happens and yellow tint of my new son's scales began to fight its way free. None of us helped him. Its part of what is needed. To take your life for your own. Pulling himself free with a small chirp of frustration, Mars was born.

_Mars the shiny Charmander_

_Nature: Lonely_

_Ability: Blaze_

_Moves: Ancient Power, Flare Blitz, Scratch, Ember, Dragon Dance, Air Cutter, Crunch, Bite, Beat Up_

[This is a note from future Ella here journal-kun. A few things to note. I wish I'd named him Shikamaru and keep in mind his egg moves.]

I know. Naming him Mars would be confusing if referring to the planet but I was naming him for the Roman god of war. Who is much less of a dick than Ares. I think. Memory is fuzzy about it.

The little guy just stared rather calmly at all of us and yawned hard, displaying his tiny little teeth and causing Sunny to seize up in joy and a swift desire to hug him silly. Believe me. I know what she looks like when she wants to cuddle someone to death. She didn't though cause newborn but she did use her ribbons to get a towel to start cleaning our newest family member off.

I won't bore you with the first few days of taking care of him. Its a lot of what you'd expect from a baby. Joy was with us for most of that time. She'd long ago gotten used to the fact that she'd be going to dragon lairs as our Nurse. Joy's lucario stayed at the Center (Again, read: Joy and Becca's larger than normal home) in case there were any emergencies. Mars was very healthy and would be able to train pretty early on compared to Sunny. Starter pokémon are very sought after for a reason. They can fight almost from birth.

Note, Joy is the only human besides myself and my mom that Momma even comes close to listening to. I guess that's expected of a Joy. Once she left us (After giving me notes on nutrition that I already knew about from my won info-dump) we started to let him get to know us in earnest. Tru was the first up oddly enough. My riolu just spoke soft words, treated him with the utmost care and said they'd be great comrades once he'd grown up a bit. The little guy just solemnly nodded and looked expectantly to Sunny who was vibrating in excitement. That should have been my first clue to his quirk.

Sunny...Well. I'll write a bit of her actual words. Everyone loves her.

"_Hello baby brother! Welcome. Mom said she'd get us more family but I didn't think she'd have an egg so young! Humans have kids much older than _pokémon can." Cue facepalm for me and a resolve to never tell her what human births are actually like. Or rather, make someone else do it. Zaela's face right now screams 'wtf' times seventy. The low hum of Query's laughter doesn't affect Sunny's continued introduction.

"_But now that you are here I can show you so much! And give you ice cream. Its delicious. Oh no! I forgot to do the thing."_ Pulling up a ribbon she took Mars' tiny claw and raised it up and down. In a super serious voice that she deepened as if she were imitating an older man my sylveon continued destroying my ability to think, _"Hello. My name is Sunshine Mita. Your big sister. Its nice to meet you. How are you today?"_

Yea I taught her how humans greet new people politely. Mars just cocked his head in a gesture that reminded me of my dad studying something interesting and said his first actual words other than 'Char!' which by the way is every bit as cute as you would imagine. Something about pokémon. The idea that they learn while in the egg is utterly true. Both language and moves. More on that later. Maturity is a matter of the species and nature.

"_I see. My sister. Mother behind you said my name is Mars. Ah." _Bright eyes flash to me with a slight smile and I return it. Inside though I'm a bit shocked. Mars' voice is very old for his age. Instead of a baby it sounds like the equivalent of a five year old human. Query pushes a thought at me to not worry about it just yet as he comes forward.

"_Yes. And I'm an uncle? Something similar. Zaela behind me would be your aunt of sorts. I'll leave her to talk to you more on that. I am Query. Welcome."_

My boy just floats back to his place after sending warm thoughts to Mars. Zaela looks all the way down at Mars with a snort of flame and nods. _"You'll do newbie. Grow strong to be worthy of my sister and I."_

That might sound harsh to a newborn pokémon but from a dragon that's a super warm welcome. The charmander line understand dragons. Mars' eyes shine a bit bright at Zaela but then turn to me as he waddles forward. The bright flame on his tail is hotter than I expected but also doesn't really burn me as much as I thought it would from proximity. Maybe its the same effect that ponyta and rapidash riders deal with?

"_You are my mother._ _I felt you in the egg. You have that warmth. It let me learn so much. Thank you Mother."_ Almost bowing, he moves in to hug my legs as I kneel next to him and start to scratch his scales. Of course I'd have an odd charmander. There is very little aggression in their base form but he's remarkably calm. I was a little worried about his nature but maybe growing up in our family will counteract what 'lonely' might mean for his personality.

Two months later

Taking care of Mars has been a joy and trial compared to Sunshine. Sunny spoiled me to the process. Is still spoiling me. Query, Tru and Zaela have all gotten used to having their own interests now and can train well without me as I focused on Sunny and Mars. We still work ourselves to the bone but its easier to do so apart these days.

Mars is a genius and I am having trouble telling if its good or not. Every one of his egg moves is perfected for his level. No seriously. He can do them flawlessly in any way I request. The only drawback is he's in his first form so he can't back them up with the power and speed he'll get later.

He also knows three moves I didn't put in my list to Fate. Know how eggs absorb knowledge? He's a genius even there. From being around Momma he learned slash, which come to think of it is not an egg move, dragon rush and dragon pulse. And yes, those are perfected for his level too.

Zaela was very jealous. It took us beating down some of the gym trainers to get her from being...Petty. All the effort she put into perfecting some of the same moves and here Mars does it as if it were easy as breathing.

His lonely nature is coming to the forefront in a way that kind of shocks me. I'm making the same assumption over and over. That the game/show rules apply here. They do to an extent but every being on this planet is unique. Mars doesn't play well with others in a way that is sadly familiar to me. He's very smart and other than Query I don't think anyone else will be able to relate to that intelligence.

I'm pretty positive he has a picture perfect memory as he restates orders I gave him on even his first day of true interaction. With my inflections no less. I'm about the only one he is happy to be around besides Sunny. Sunshine trumps any social awkwardness. She simply doesn't care that he's so much smarter than her. She's his sister and she loves him probably more than me. I'm fine with that.

Mars' slow smiles in her presence give me hope. While he takes to physical training well a _lot_ of our time training is technique and application which he just gets immediately. Query tells me to treat him like a normal psychic type in such instances and give him mental exercises but that's where his charmander stubbornness gets him. Its there, just buried deep. He despises problems he can't see so unless its in front of him its not worthy of note.

It was dad who gave me a solution. We still aren't connecting well by the way. We're just too different. I spend all day outside and my critical thinking is all about my team and battle. His is about concepts and design. Still, I was complaining to mom about the issue over dinner one night and he was actually with us for once. I'm a bit afraid to ask mom about how their marriage is journal-kun. I haven't seen them go out in over a year. I wouldn't be surprised they are just staying together until I'm off on my journey and fully independent.

"Oh. Visual learning? Why not let him play simulations or video games? I can mock up an interface for him." Both mom and I turned to him in a bit of shock. Dad rarely speaks up unless about his own work.

My smile is hesitant but true. "That's a great idea dad. But then it was yours." Hey I might be a bit distant from him but there is no denying my dad is the smartest person I know. "If you could do that it would be great. I know he loves watching tv." It was true. To the visual learner that he is, recordings of battles has just made him more impressive.

Zaela is becoming an issue there still. His rapid growth in what was her worst and slowest growth is driving her nuts. She's calling him the lazy one and its kind of stuck with the team. Its not fully true. But he does get bored easily and spends a lot of time staring at the sky in wonder. He'll be a flier one day for sure.

A few days later Dad presented me with something that made me lock down hard on my emotions. It was basically a gamecube. Pokémon are around me. I never considered that there are actual video games. None of the Clan waste time really. We train for our pride and our partners. I'm sure some kids _have_ systems and I should have considered it as in the games your character always has the newest nintendo system in their room. But yeah. Gamecube. With a controller obviously designed specifically for charmander. Thanking dad numbly I took Mars aside after the next training session.

"Mars, I know you're having issues with the team. This isn't really your fault. You're just so smart that its hard for us non-geniuses to keep up. Query probably could but I don't think you two have the same interests." Very true. Query loves people and learning everything. Mars wants to be a better battler but is unable to reach his potential further until he's fully evolved. As a charmeleon he'll at least be able to start getting used to absorbing damage and strengthening his form. "Now, this is a video game system. I learned a lot from strategy games and new concepts from something similar. My father set this up for you. I'd like you to try."

My little guy just peered up at me and moved forward to sit on his fire-proof little bed. I revel in being near my team at night since Sunny flat out refuses to be anywhere but with me when we sleep. And until he's a charizard Mars can join me too. The TV in my room isn't overly big but to him it is. Placing this world's equivalent of FF Tactics in the system I helped him get the basics and yeah. I made my son into a gamer. Even if that was my old life there is that large part of me that took solace in my old games.

They were friends when I couldn't seem to make them. They taught me of the gift of a good story and what it felt like to defeat something with my mind. Mars took to the system like I did in the past. And I got to play games with him in this new world. Something I hadn't even considered.

Another few months

Updates. Mars is thriving again even if its only on the mental aspect. He'll likely evolve pretty soon which is somewhat late for a charmander. The starters of each region are given out because they are relatively docile to their partners, they grow fast and grow strong. If I were on the road and he was struggling more I would expect he'd already be a charmeleon. Our training is harsh, yes, but I've purposefully been taking a path I know will take time but raise my team's base stats to their highest potential.

Query has joined Mars and I in gaming. Dad even shows up at the novelty of making new controllers for pokémon species….Is my way to connect to Dad through games? I hope so. Smash Bros(Not called that but its what it is) here is hilarious. Its basically former Champions and their teams in stylized combat. Apparently its bragging rights if you get into the game. A weird combo of a sports game in the fact that it has actual people portrayed and a brawler.

That bitchy league official is becoming a problem for mom. Ever since Zaela scared the shit out of her she's been snotty to mom in increasingly petty ways. Mom is seriously considering talking to the Conference about getting her replaced but she also prefers fighting her own battles. Its a big topic among the Clan. We all despise her. Mostly the way she's getting back at mom these last few months is making it harder for trainers to challenge the gym. That'll not fly for very long I think. The league thrives on strong challengers. Previously we accepted any challengers but the official. Stacy or something? I purposefully forget her name. Stacia pushed it through that now we have to wait till trainers have to have at least six gym badges to challenge us. Its not a huge hardship. Just annoying.

Even mom's zero badge teams are renowned for stomping aspiring challengers so I guess that's not so bad. Bleh.

Speaking of mom. She's chomped down hard on my martial arts training and refused to let me camp with the team until I finished my schooling two years ahead of time. Which I did. Its not as if courses for ten year olds is hard for my mental age. Once I was done she added more stating if I lived, I learned. She's also been hinting that she's going to take me on a training trip since she has more free time now. I'm both excited and scared. It should be good for my team though.

Seven months later.

Almost the end of the year. Haven't felt like writing. My resolve is still strong but my recovery was hard on everyone. A lot has happened. Both Tru and Mars evolved. Some people died.

I killed someone.I didn't know I did. Was a pit trap. My team killed too. There is a price for power and I think this is what my boon of destiny gave me. Its been hard learning to fight with my...disability. Scaring Lance when he rushed home to see me was hilarious.

But I'm getting ahead of myself again. Sorry journal-kun. Query insist on something here and I'll get to it. I write in you because it helps me cope. So lets get to it.

The whole mess was a result of things I couldn't control. I accept this. Still sucks but I accept it. The training trip was on and I was pumped. Years of training had made me a bit of a nut for it and I was hoping I'd be able to battle. Know what is a fucking shame? Having super powerful pokémon and not being able to go out and battle yet. Sure. I could probably push mom to let me do it more at the gym but never against anyone who isn't of the Clan.

I _know_ how to fight dragons. I want variety! Bleh. Anyway. The trip was to the north and into land that no one ventures to. Too hard to get to without a flier and not really worth it. Where she took me was a craggy valley filled with trees, rocks and nothing much else.

"Listen carefully daughter. You've been given a great gift. Not simply your pokémon but the prestige of being a daughter of our Clan. We are dragons. Dragons do not give to anything. You've grown strong, yes, but you are dependent upon your pokémon and have been for years. Here is your goal. I am going to leave you here for a week. Alone with Mars as he is so young. Do not think this is mercy. There is not much food here and you will be given only a flask for water to survive."

Gone was my mother. This was the gym leader and head of my Clan. I'd heard that there were trials and such for older members of Blackthorn and I guess she thinks I'm ready.

"There is little chance of you winning against this because there _are_ unfriendly pokémon here who will take all that you have. Perhaps your life. Thus, you shall give me Query, Truthseeker, Zaela and Sunshine. I will be letting them out someplace in this valley and telling them to find you. You may not move more than half a mile from where I drop you. I know you will not cheat." She's right. I've been nearly killing myself to get stronger for years. No shortcuts now. "I believe in you daughter. But I leave you here all the same. I love you. Go."

Jumping from her dragonite with a huff I turned and held up a hand with all but Mars' pokéball. "I won't fail Mother. Look for us to be well and hearty when you return." A slow nod and the slightest of smiles graces Hannah Mita's lips. Gym Leader. Dragonite's eyes gleam at me for an instant and his tail swings around to teasingly try to trip me before exploding into speed. My mother goes into some clouds to hide where she'll leave my team.

The clearing she's left me in has some poor ass looking trees that don't seem to have enough water and underbrush that makes me glad I've only worn leather clothing for years now. Thank you Zaela.

The next few hours are spent walking around looking for a water source. All things are possible around water. Eventually I come to a stream and release Mars.

"Hey. So the trial is a week here alone until the rest of the team finds us. Tru should be able to pinpoint me within a mile so we're probably going to be alone for at least a few days." Mars just grins up at me. This is something he can get behind. Lazy as he might be compared to my team, two days alone with just me is actually soothing to him. I was a loner previously and I think he senses that. "I need you to scent if there is anything dangerous that regularly visits this stream. If so we'll camp a bit away and only come back for water twice a day"

"_Yes mother. This is exciting. Perhaps we'll be able to set up a grid to search out the others. Leave signs and what not. Grandmother may have tried to take into account Tru's abilities even if you don't share them all. She knows you seem to sense people easily."_ Yep. My genius has grown immensely to his strengths. I can't wait to see the charizard he'll be someday. His great strength backed by a mind that will outstrip my own? Amazing.

We ended up setting up camp about an hour from the stream. Most of what Mars scented out was easily handled but we came across a few things he didn't recognize. Best to be paranoid. Food was sparse and consisting of mostly berries and roots. I think mom underestimated Momma's lessons on surviving in the wild. It wasn't pleasant but no true hardship yet. The first two nights were cold but having a fire lizard as a companion trumps that easily. Maybe if it were snowing it would be worse. Maybe this is why mom left me Mars.

Only twice did we get into any sort of battles. One was a rather stubborn rhyhorn that thought we should share our gathered berries. A few dragon pulses and one rush sent him running. Wild pokémon of their first evolution can't touch Mars. I grew cocky. This was easy. I was so wrong. This area I found out later usually has a ton of higher level pokémon that I would be forced to avoid without my stronger teammates.

It was supposed to teach me that even if I was a dragon in spirit that my mind would always be my strongest asset to the team. True, someday my aura would let me stand next to them to an extent, but they grew strong because of how I guide them.

Things went wrong the third evening. Mars and I were at our little base tucked against a cliff so nothing could come from behind us unless they dug through the mountain. And we'd feel that way before an enemy got there. What I didn't know at the time is that Starra the bitch had met up with an old enemy of mine. Or rather, my mom's and all those trainers she'd been holding back? She let them all come at once. Mom would normally be monitoring my safety in this valley from way afar but due to her confidence in me and my team she figured she could afford to let me truly shine for a day or two.

She probably would have noticed all the higher pokémon being driven off too. The night was coming and I was content. Lazy as Mars can be we made a good team. Without influence I don't talk much. My pokémon enjoy speaking to me but I'm perfectly fine with silence. Tomorrow I expected the rest of my team to reach us. I was a little miffed it took them this long. I'd regret that thought much later.

The night was quiet and Mars and I were leaning against each other with no fire. His natural warmth was enough and we kept his tailflame hidden as best we could. A few depressions he'd carved out in the rock wall were filled with water I could get in my flask and he'd heat to purify them. It'd be earthy water but water.

My thoughts drifted and I idly pulsed out aura. A lot of potential fights here could be solved by using my aura but I was here as a dragon. I'd only use my extra abilities if it were life or death. Which it was. If I hadn't have pulsed then out of boredom I would be dead.

Murder. Hate. Rage. Insanity. The largest human signature was full of it. The wound that was this person was about to act. Four others were nearby that spoke of a professional calm and while tinged with a bit of guilt also pulsed with death.

"Mars! Enemies" Turning at the decision I felt from the darkest of them I ducked behind a boulder just as a bullet slammed into it. Mars let out the harshest growl I've heard as we both ran to the left. We knew this area. Pings followed as more bullets hit around us. The snap of pokéballs followed as we headed toward our first traps.

Mars and I got bored and didn't want to worry about wild visitors at night. Pit traps may not have worked for Team Rocket but from the whine/howl of some sort of canine behind us it worked just fine for us. Mars is the only one of my team I would ever give free reign to at any point and for good reason. I said it before. Genius.

Breathing short bursts of flame he started setting fires that blinded their vision of us as well as directed more of our attackers to the traps. A few more pokémon sounds from some of them signaled success and one very satisfying human scream as one of the rock traps we set up caught someone. We found a precarious set of boulders together and ran some vines along it. Would hurt a pokémon sure but I think that guy is in trouble.

Fewer and fewer bullets popped around us as we started into the forest but the first of the pokémon caught up as well. Mightyena are much, much bigger than I thought. Without pausing his running Mars shifted around a tree and dug his claws in to turn himself as he activated a flare blitz. Using the momentum he crashed his small body with socking force. He and Query talk about Psi-Fist quite a bit while we all game together. My little guy hit at the back hind leg of the slavering dog and snapped it even as he exploded with firey energy.

From howling desire to maul us to death to a short, painful whimper that led to a full force crash into one of the nearby trees. If we weren't in danger I'd have cheered. Mars is a genius. Since this started he's been dragon dancing. He can do it by using his steps to beat up his inner fire and latent draconic energy. Since he's been born there hasn't been a day that he hasn't seen Momma. Living in the presence of that massive pool of dragon-type strength means he is barely weaker than an actual dragon his age at dragon moves.

It was only a few moments of battle but more bullets started homing in on us. A savage slash to the canine's jaw more or less knocked him out or at least made sure he wasn't following and we were off. My heart pumped with aura and my little guy was blazing with his boosts. We could go on for a long while but I'm still eight. He's still a charmander. I was despairing a bit at the sound of more crashing sounds following and a distinctly male voice cursing hard about things I won't repeat.

Then a roar of such fury filled my soul with hope and joy. Zaela was here and I've never heard her so angry. She was still a ways away but I could feel the panic in the five behind me. Three more pokémon, the darkest of the murderers and one of the professionals. There was some sort of shouts and the professional split off by themselves. Four opponents.

"Mars. Four behind. Three pokémon. And the murderous human. Ambush." His eyes looked at me in slight alarm and then a nod of determination. We split apart and he howled loudly, daring the pokémon to follow him as I circled around looking for cover. We had to stall and turn around. Zaela was form where we came from. I couldn't panic. I knew people would try to end me. I knew it. Not this soon. But I knew.

Two of the pokémon, more canines of some type, ran after my charmander while the last, a houndour that _had_ to be close to evolving found me. Spinning up an aura sphere I tossed it over my shoulder with careful aim. While I want to heal my team more than fight I learned aura sphere way before heal sphere. The shock value of a human using a pokémon move made the houndour miss a step and take my attack in the face. It hurt for sure but didn't put him down.

Legs pumping as hard as my eight year old form could I knew it was only a matter of time. Still, I could hear Zaela trumpeting her victory over something and more roars of anger. A pulse of aura for Tru hit me too and resolve that she was coming. Embers pelted the forest around me and I thanked all that the houndour wasn't that accurate as I dodge.

I should have known that they were hunting creatures. The bullet hit my calf and I fell. Pain is something I'm used to but this was more than I had experienced since my first death. Tears hit hard as I started charging an aura sphere. Tossing it at the houndour again I let my other hand pulse healing to at least ease my bleeding and pain. Moves like this work on humans but not nearly as well. The houndour, having slowed a bit at seeing me down just hit my sphere with a flamethrower to cancel the never-miss move out.

Heavy boots followed as I wondered idly if Mars would be okay. My team was still half a mile away. Mars was closer and obviously heading for me. I felt his two opponents down in much the same manner as the mightyena. But I didn't think he'd get here in time.

Mathew Stone's rage-twisted face came into view. "Well bitch. Time to make your mother pay." The rifle in his hands was more terrifying than the man. Idly I thought it would have been smart to work on protect at some point for myself. "Do you know what your mother did to me?!"

Ever see those faces of people in anime where they break? Where hatred and insanity take root? They become overblown images of themselves. I always enjoyed the drama but thought the picture of it was kind of silly. Mathew's face looks like that now. Its not silly at all.

"She RUINED me for you! Why couldn't she have just been fucking smart and been bought off! That beldum was _mine!_ You weren't fucking harmed. No no. But she still had to have them drive me out." Spittle flies from his mouth. His hair is wild from the run and the houndour is growling deeper, affected by his emotions. There is only so much aura can do against hostile pokémon. It shows me as someone to trust but a bond between a trainer and pokémon can trump a lot of things.

"So now I'm going to ruin her. Take away her pride and joy. It would have been quick. A bullet and a message. But you fucking had to run. Now I'm going to let you despair a bit for your whore of a mother to see. We waited. Waited for months to figure out a way to get you. Stella-" Oh so that's her real name. "hates her almost as much as me. She'll be busy for days. And look. She hand wrapped you to us. Stella found out about your little trial ages ago. People brag and she listens about your stupid traditions." Great. Rhymes in monologues. He's coming to it now. I've more or less got one move I've been preparing. A bit more aura and a prayer.

It isn't needed. My _charmeleon_ is a yellow blur as his fully buffed speed slams into Mathew like a missle. A quick turn leads into a slash with dragon tinged energy into the leaping houndour. Its brutal to watch the skull-like armor be rent by the force of Mars' attack. If he were still a charmander he wouldn't be able to do this but he _would_ be more aware and agile. The two bodies crash into Mathew and he's mauled a bit by claws and teeth. Mars slaps Mathew in the face, burning the man and causing an awful scream.

I enter then, tossing a heal sphere at Mars and struggling to get behind a tree. Its a bitter taste in my mouth that the best I can do for him is protect myself so he can't. The houndour snaps madly at my boy's legs, trying to get his speed down but Mars, still silent, is only distracting his opponent. Rocks start rising behind the canine as ancient power boosts all of Mars' other stats. He's going to stand with Zaela someday. Without a pause or even hint of the strain my boy unleashes the attack.

The sound is sickening. Rocks the size of my head crush the houndour in vital places as Mars slams his claw in with steel energy, using the displaced armor and piercing the canine's brain. The savage growls cut off instantly and my little boy is a killer. It was going to happen someday with my goal but I didn't expect so soon. I should have paid more attention to Mathew who is just a few feet from me.

Judging correctly that my charmeleon who is standing over his first kill and struggling with it to be the greater threat, Mathew raises his rifle. Pain leaves me as I lunge forward. No. Not my boy. Mars screams in terror, there is a thud against my head and that feeling I had at my first death all those years ago swallows me.

I didn't die obviously. But Query has requested that he take over here when I wrote this down to tell of what my other family members went through.

_Days before._

Heart-voice's mother left us on a hill. None of us are new to rough environments or to seeking out food for ourselves. But doing it without Ella? That is new and unwelcome. Even when we are off alone I can feel her presence. One of my minds is always upon her signature within the Den...Now it is empty. Disquiet is present among us all, hitting Sunny the hardest from how her ribbons lay limp.

"_Come. Mistress would not stand idle. I can sense her aura from fairly far away. If we start over there that-"_

"_Who made you the boss? I'm her starter and sister. That's a good idea but you don't get to tell me what to do. Ella is the only one who gets to."_

Ah yes. They bicker a lot like this. Both are essentially royalty. They forget I am special in my own right. _"Logically Tru is right. But Zaela has been with Ella the longest. She probably knows a bit more about how Ella would react. Do recall that I can find our trainer from a distance as well." _The stress of the moment presses in on me and I let my irritation with them come through me in a pulse. It is not appreciated.

"_Look at you Query. All high and mighty like you know fucking everything. Tru can be a bitch but you're an all knowing asshole at the best of times."_ I am aware that Zaela is worried about her sister. We all are. Ella's mom would not be kind to Ella. There will be real danger and we all wish to help her but things are not...balanced without our heart-voice.

"_Mistress is strong. You both do her a disservice by thinking she will not have conquered her hardship before we arrive." _Even I must admit that stings to hear from someone who had so little faith in Ella when they first met. The bickering would have continued if not for Sunny. How could we forget her?

"_Stop! STOP STOP STOP! What are you all doing?! Mom is out there with the youngest of us! She's probably super worried about us and all you're doing is arguing and not moving! This is stupid! She trains us for this! Query is in charge when danger is about to occur! You all know this! I don't even fight and its deep in my bones. I want mom! So lets find her!"_

Shame pulses from each of us and I am once again reminded that I know nothing. No words are spoken as I direct us in the direction I think is most likely. Many minutes pass. Sunny rides upon me as she is small enough it matters not to me and I can save her from struggling to keep up with us. She's not yet able to match our true speed. Zaela leaps in ways that should not work for her size but the power she wields will dwarf us all someday.

Tru dances over the rocks as he descend into the forest. Sunshine starts sending out her ribbons to gather berries as we move deeper into this unknown land. Its hours later of quiet searching that the silence is finally broken.

"_I didn't mean to yell. I just want my mom. She's without us. We're not meant to be apart. Mars is….fine, _but_..." _The sniffles that follow hurt more than her words earlier. _"I don't like us fighting. Aunt Zaela, I know mom is tough but she is probably more worried about us than herself. We need to take care of _her_ now. Why do you think we were released? Grandma knows that we'll be needed."_

The dragon just huffs and snorts, obviously displeased with what she's about to say. _"I'm….sorry for letting….my fear get to me. Good job Sunny."_

Tru, quiet as usual just hops onto me briefly and gives Sunny a swift hug. As she never does this willingly it makes Sunny stare at her in wonder as the riolu continues to run. For myself? I ruffle her fur in the way I know Ella does to calm her down and pulse regret and an apology at her.

A day and a half passes and we are no closer. Hannah warned us that it would take at least a few days but we pushed hard anyway. Ella has trained us to rest even if we do not wish to. I may not sleep but mediation helps me balance my abilities. I've had very little cause to assign orders other than slight corrections in directions. Probabilities and simulations run constantly in my spare mind. Water is where she will go first. Food is secondary. Shelter with few ways of attack and food that is within an hour at most distance. Many paths that lead to caves higher than four miles are tossed aside. Ella would not run an hour away with only Mars. The fastest I predict her moving in an hour of caution is three miles. Two is more likely but we shall test three. I will have Sunny be picking up as many oran berries as possible along the way.

There is worry. The pokémon here are much weaker than expected. Evidence suggest larger and more dangerous species that have not challenged us. Zaela especially is a threat. A King means danger to the territory of whatever truly owns this place.

My thoughts are broken by Tru's soft gasp.

"_There is danger. Not expected danger. There are men here with evil in their hearts. They seek to kill and not us. Mistress! It must be!"_

My mind pulses hard. Tru is likely right. No one but the Clan comes here. There is nothing here. Nothing save us and my heart-voice. Sunny whimpers and starts to panic. My thoughts soothe her, filled with the core fact that we shall not let her be harmed. Zaela growls lowly and then silences herself before she makes too much noise.

"_Tru, find us the nearest. We shall destroy them. All but one. We have to know if they have Ella's location." _Zaela is calmer than I expect and I simply pulse acceptance as Tru speeds off. All thoughts of rest are gone. We do not need it.

Minutes that feel like hours pass. If I were not so worried I would ponder that effect. Tru starts moving slower and takes a circular route. Likely making sure we're downwind. Two men pop into the range of my senses and I connect us all with my mind. It is hard to do but we must plan. Three pokéballs each and two dark minds outside and hunting. If they are not rushing someplace they have not found my heart-voice. Zaela offers a plan. Agreement.

Tru and Zaela dart forward. Since before she evolved Zaela is silent on ground. No sound is heard from her if she can connect from the earth and isn't roaring her displeasure. Tru's paws are lightly modified with aura and make no sound.

"_Sunny. I would ask that you not watch. I will not lie to you. These people will die. And hurt before they do. Your mother would not wish you to see this yet."_ Ella has never led us to believe otherwise. Even Sunny she's told her that death might follow us someday. The sylveon did not fully understand. It is too early for her to learn but we have no choice. We will not leave murderers behind us.

Sunny whimpers hard and presses her face into my head, averting her eyes. It is not comfortable to her.

I watch as Zaela dips into the ground without noise. Her earth power and dig make the earth more welcoming to movement than water to her. Only the hint of her fin shows her presence. Tru silently climbs up a tree as if gravity does not control her running. She gets halfway up and leaps at the fire dog that is her target, spinning in the air to provide her attack with more force. Zaela approaches the larger of the two. A dark mind with a white and grey body. Massive jaws swipe it into the earth before they notice her approach.

It is a perfect distraction from Tru's entire body coming down on the fire dog's spine with a massive crack that feels like death. I have not activated my inner eye to affect the dark ones yet as I am currently locking the two men's pokéballs. Even as they attempt to release other allies I am holding them closed.

If Zaela did not wish it we would not hear the crunching death cry of the other canine. The humans try to flee but Tru precisely strikes both their legs in more breaking of bones. She then takes their pokéballs and nods in my direction. Zaela buries the fire dog as I move to hover over the men. Their words mean nothing to me. Pleading and threats. I am not the best at prying open a mind. Tru leads Sunny away so she doesn't see what happens.

The knowledge I gain is enough. Mathew Stone is here. He had help. Zaela buries what remains of the men as well. When I am done Sunny takes her place on me again but is distressed past my ability to comfort. As she said, she needs her mom.

Two more groups fall just as quickly. Each is a bit more aware but none can match Zaela's ability to dive under the earth. None are truly strong save in numbers. We come across a camp. This is Ella's camp. It fits her perfect. We are close. Zaela moves away for a minute to close some pits over more murderers and roar out a victory. Ella was prepared. Zaela finishes what her sister started.

"_Mistress! I feel her! This way!" _Never have words been so sweeter even if the danger is immense. We hurry and I tell Zaela and Tru to leave me. I am too slow now. Sunny wraps her ribbons around me as I do my best to speed up. Agility is used constantly. I tire but push on. I see the work of Mars as we rush. He has done well. Taking on opponents far beyond him save for his intelligence. Much must be said to thank him.

Tru's mental anguish reaches me then. Zaela's fury covers me with its intensity as I pour all of what I am capable of to get there that much quicker. Mars is silent. Hollow.

My heart-voice is crumpled on her back, blood soaking her head as Tru desperately uses strips of a man's shirt to stem the bleeding. We are so far from everything. If she does not find healing my heart-voice will die. Sunny, shocking me with her resolve and lack of panic jumps down and lays over her mother. Pulses of hope and desire echo in the clearing as her Wish forms. Tru just stares and her face shifts.

Her evolution is not so surprising. Her trainer lies dying in front of Mars, her son. The evidence is easy to see. The broken and burned rifle. The terrified man under Zaela's foot. The bullet that has robbed my heart-voice of her eye. Truthseeker becomes Lucario and the training she insisted on results in a heal pulse that I know Joy's lucario would be impressed by.

Crooning without ceasing, Sunny pours all of her hope for her mother into the effort. Blood fades. Her eye does not return. That is beyond all but the most skilled pokémon. Sunny and Tru are not there yet. There is nothing I can do for them. But there is revenge and hate. I meant what I said to Tru when I beat her down. I am grateful to her that she taught me hate.

Zaela senses my need and jams one of her claws in Mathew Stone's shoulder. Dragging him, screaming, from the clearing is appropriate. He should not die where she will live. Mars follows. This is approved. Sunny is older but far more innocent. The fire dog corpse was not unnoticed. Mars knows killing now.

I seek to understand humans. I enjoy conversing with them. I do not listen to Mathew Stone's words. They are lost to time. Erased. Zaela brings us far enough away as the man spews vile things we ignore.

Tossing his body down she burns him out of spite but is halted when Mars steps forward.

"_I know we are angry. That our instincts without a trainer are violent and without mercy. I do not ask that we spare him. Only that you remember what Mother wishes to be. Guardian. These deaths are justified. His suffering is not."_

Twice on this trip are Zaela and I, the two most senior of Ella's pokémon humbled. There is a lesson here that the youngest of us can teach so much. Zaela looks at Mars' new form with respect and something more I do not recognize. Without a word she turns to go back to Ella. Mars nods and turns too as I hover over Mathew Stone.

I ignore his last word as I snap his neck. Then I too turn and head to my heart-voice. I am lost without her.

Back to the present

I haven't read what Query wrote. Not sure if I will. I know he did it to assuage some sort of guilt he has about the death that my team caused. But he shouldn't worry. I've been training them to know when to kill and not. They did exactly as I would have ordered themselves

My eye is gone. There is such a thing as regeneration here. Ditto cells and chansey eggs as fanfictions have believed for ages. They have to be done fairly quick though. We were three days into the trip when this all happened. Mom wasn't able to check on us until day five. Zaela set out to try and get back before then and met mom along the way.

Ten men including Mathew Stone died in the valley. Seven pokémon too. A few of them were poached or caught in the valley but a few had to be put down or sent to be reconditioned. Pokémon who are a part of mercenary groups are often unable to play well with others.

The reason I didn't write of this as soon as I could is that I've been training again. Depth perception was nice. Without it I have to rely primarily on aura. Which actually isn't that bad. Aura seems to thrive under the desire to help and its gotten me almost back to where I was. Plus I have a bad ass eyepatch now.

Before I talk about my team let me just say. Taking off my patch and grossing out Lance is something amazing. He came back home for a few weeks when I woke up from the ten or so days I was out. Him and his team have been keeping mine busy while I was stuck in Joy's home recovering. Except Sunny. She refused to leave my side until I could walk out on my own.

Tru's voice changed into a young woman's voice that sends shivers down my spine with its kindness. All that she is has shifted that much more to her dream. There is more patience and consideration after her evolution. Heal pulse came to her naturally and she's been kicking her own ass to try and get on Joy's lucario's level ever since then.

Query was very quiet for a long while after it all went down but he did tell me how Sunny brought them all together and that Mars is a very worthy person. I know there are details in his writing but I still don't want to go back to that time yet.

Sunny was predictably the worst. She is not meant for the violence that occurred. She's gotten to accepting that it had to happen. It was just really too soon to show her what it really meant. There have been a lot of crying and snuggling with her. Along with more training. She felt pretty helpless until the end there where she and Tru kept me alive. She still won't be on the front lines but she refuses to not have the option now. She's also sitting in on some of Tru's training. Wish isn't quite heal pulse obviously but they're close enough that they might learn from each other.

Zaela is the least affected. Dragons and hardship. As long as I'm not dead she thinks I'll come out stronger. Its very appreciated. People pitying me is pretty fucking lame. My sister knows I don't mind my eye being gone. Because Mars lived. That said, she's training even harder now. Draco Meteor is finally mastered and she's been using it to set up her terrain in impressive ways. What's more impressive is how she thought this up.

She asked Mars for help.

Mars, my little one no longer, is growing up in a way I'm a tad sad about. I'll just write down the conversation.

My bed was welcome today. Learning to sense attacks coming from my significantly larger blind spot has led to many bruises. Mom feels immense guilt. I can sense it without even using aura. Stella was arrested real quick but….The guilt remains. It isn't her fault and she knows it but her daughter nearly died again. I've tried to pull her into helping me train past my lost eye and its helping her some. A lot really. I'm not broken and she's accepting that slowly.

Groaning against my pillow I can feel the heat of Mars entering. A bright smile greets him as he sits down in his new fireproof bed.

"_Mother. I know I am smart and I have some things I think I should talk to you about." _It always amazes me that this supposedly destructive and angry charmeleon can be so calm. So collected. _"I know you know some of the future. At least I think. Or are older than you appear?"_

Well. There goes my calm. Blinking at him in shock I can't help but stare for a while as he patiently waits for me to process this.

"I...won't ever lie to you but why do you think this?" My voice is shaking just a bit as I wait for his response. Even if he wasn't sure before my reaction can't be wished away. Just the way I'm acting is confirmation.

"_A few things. You knew I was to be a shiny charmander didn't you? I remember every instant of my life and you just had anticipation and not any sort of surprise. I didn't know I was rare until a passing Clan member talked about how lucky you were with your pokémon. Query told me that was true when I asked." _My genius pauses, collecting his thoughts. _"After that it was examining our tactics. You obviously are training us to fight against small units. The others don't question this but I do. They destroyed hardened assassins with ease because they are used to working together. Of detecting threats and using the quickest ways to put them down."_

His eyes lock onto mine and I can't speak. I'd always planned on sharing this with my team someday. But after we had reached a peak and before we started going after the 'Team' whatevers of the world. Also hopefully after I found some more aura users.

"_The biggest clue was the video games. I asked Query why you were so good at them as we train nearly everyday. And that you have done so since a young age. He said he'd never seen you play before so you must be a natural. But you insinuated that you used games as coping. As if you'd been playing for years. Other than when I ask you to, you've never played any this year."_

Genius. Yep. My fire lizard.

"_Mother. Do not be afraid. I am not here to expose you or to change the way I feel about you. You are my mother. Human or not. That is how I was shaped. Now let me help shape you. I am talented at figuring things out. Tell me of what has set you on this path and where we need to go with it. I am with you until the end."_

Nothing much could be said after that but what he wanted. So like I did with Query before him, I spoke of who I was before Ella. And of the future.

* * *

Genius

When I was born I knew nothing more beautiful than you, Mother. There existed our family and you were its center.

Things quickly became challenging and I knew much to offer. But there was no place for me. My mind set me apart but I did not fit. Sunny was the guiding heart. Query the inspiring start. Tru became the moral core of us all. And Zaela is the drive and example of what we could be.

But I was just me. I did not conform and for all my wit I couldn't find where to serve you. My mother. You made it worse and better at the same time. Once I demonstrated that I could use all of my abilities at peak levels you didn't know what to do with me. Not until I gained strength. I disrupted the team because I was better in this aspect, even if at the time I could not stand with them.

Zaela was so jealous even I could see it and it was hard at the time to know any of their emotions save for yours. You took care of me and struggled to find a way to help me improve. First there were learning new moves but those came easy and without difficulty. After that it was television and that too aided me.

Much of my fighting style is adapted from those early examples. Finally you found a way forward in games. A love that you obviously felt deeply for. My revelation came from that. I had thought before that moment that nothing could approach your love of me. And the others.

But when we played together I could see how at home you were with video games. That it was something you leaned on in the past. That spurred on my questions. Who wouldn't want to learn more about someone they love? What I discovered was even more amazing.

That my mother was likely from the future. I was off a bit of course. The true story was so much more interesting. That you chose us. That you had the ability to go anywhere. Do anything. And you wished to come here, find us and help the world. Its obvious that you didn't exactly know who we were when you made your request but the way you treat us speaks of your true intent.

You love us more than yourself. It is a similar feeling for us. Most of us anyway. When I found out I longed to speak to you about my suspicious. That you had traveled back. Or perhaps aura could predict things?

I was driven to distraction. Then the valley. There was such fear. Training helped. And my mind. It locked away all but the moment. I felt my kind's urge to burn away the enemy then. The first time I knew what glorious battle was.

Then I killed. And you nearly died. I was helpless. There is no healing in my claws or flame. Just destruction. I killed to save you and it mattered little. Things worked out but in that moment I truly wished to join you if you left us. Sunny and Tru brought you back. I would never be more grateful.

Still the idea lingered. What did I truly bring to you that others did not? Zaela will forever be stronger than I as a dragon. Sunny can bring morale up and make us fight harder. Query is intuitive and can direct battle in seconds of thought. Even then when he was a metang. Tru shares your senses and can heal us while defeating her own opponents.

What could I do better? Our games. Planning. Tactics on a larger scale. Your favorite games were ones that led upwards to a point where nothing in the game could touch your forces. So I came to you because I can do that. I told you what I knew because I would become this for you. Able to help you forge the Guardians into what you dream.

What goes on now can't be directed. I fear he'll get a bigger head of this but Query is right. You will find balance and your pokémon will help you get there. You showed me the way to where my place is.

I will plan for you as always. But I'll also burn the world away for you if needed Mother. Just say the word.

* * *

**Whew. I couldn't stop until I got this chapter out. This was planned a while ago. Tru especially was going to evolve to use heal pulse and save Ella's life. Sunny stole the show a bit but they didn't care.**

**Mars was always going to be hard to write because of his intelligence. All of Ella's team are going to have quirks and I wanted Mars' to be something unexpected. Next chapter is the last of the first six! The last six will be spread out quite a bit more. Only one more chapter before the start of Ella's journey. Very excited. Aurora is going to be fun. I said it before, but second favorite pokémon ever! On to the team.**

**_**1- Zaela the King Gabite (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Adamant**_**

**_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, Double Team, Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, Rain Dance, Mud-Slap, Dual Chop, Slash, Dragon Claw, **_****_**Draco Meteor**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Furnace (Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit) Pain Whirl (Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and Rock Slide with a helping of Mud-Slap. Confuse them in a tornado made of giant pain rocks)**_**

**_**Ella's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_**

**_**2- Query the Shiny Metang (Identifies Male)**_**

**_**Ability: Clear Body**_**

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

**_**Moves: Iron Head, Iron Defense, Take Down, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Psych Up, Gravity, Ally Switch, Miracle Eye , Scary Face, Brick Break, Meteor Mash, Agility, Magnet Rise, Return, Reflect, Double Team, Light Screen, **_****_**Rock Smash**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Psi-Fist - A method of psychic manipulation of an opponents gravity and self to make critical hits happen. A variety of punches/strikes with heavy but small piercing-like psychic stabs to balance points.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Two- Constant mind/emotion reading to adapt to attack patterns and psychological weaknesses. Low level confusion waves to occlude and disrupt senses and to influence terror or caution depending on level of threat as well as psychological profile. Work in progress until evolution and dedicated brain to mental warfare.**_**

**_**3- Truthseeker(Tru) the **_****_**Lucario**_****_** (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Inner Focus, **_****_**Justified**_****_** (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Serious**_**

**_**Moves: Foresight, Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Detect, Cross Chop, Bite, Mind Reader, High Jump Kick, Agility, Vacuum Wave, Crunch, Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash, **_****_**Copycat, Rock Smash, Force Palm, **_****_**Aura Sphere, Heal Pulse, Power-Up Punch**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Heal Sphere- Not at all mastered. Ella's custom healing aura sphere. Energy intensive for now.**_**

**_**4- Sunshine**_****_**(Sunny)**_****_** the **_****_**Sylveon**_****_** (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Cute Charm, **_****_**Pixilate (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

**_**Moves: **_****_**Fake Tears, Tickle, Wish, Yawn, Stored Power, Tackle, Helping Hand, Baby-Doll Eyes, **_****_**Fairy Wind, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, **_****_**Swifty, Moonblast (Not at all mastered)**_**

**_**Special Moves: Talk no jutsu. Seriously. Okay not seriously. Just couldn't resist the joke.**_**

**_**5- **_****_**Mars the Shiny Charmeleon (Male)**_**

**_**Ability: Blaze**_**

**_**Nature: Lonely**_**

**_**Moves: **_****_**Ancient Power, Flare Blitz, Scratch, Ember, Dragon Dance, Air Cutter, Crunch, Bite, Beat Up, **_****_**Dragon Rush, Dragon Pulse, Slash, Fire Fang, Dragon Rage, Flame Burst, Flamethrower, Metal Claw, Smokescreen**_**

**_**Combination Moves(Self Taught): Dragon Blitz-High speed directed attack. A fully boosed by Dragon Dance Flare Blitz combined with a Dragon Rush that can be changed mid attack by using an enforced claw with Slash and Metal Claw **_****_**to dig into nearby surfaces to a new direction**_****_**. Devastatingly powerful but can only be used twice per day without Blaze activated for now.**_**

**_**Smoke Boost- Dragon Dance while setting up favorable terrain with Ancient Power and hoping for more buffs while covered in a Smokescreen. Double Team and Beat Up to be added later.**_**

**_**Firewall- Flame Bursts tossed up high and fed with a directional Air Cutter. Flamethrower added immediately after Flame Burst. As yet unable to do this on the move. **_****_**Usable only while Blaze activated.**_**

**_**6- Aurora the ? (Female)**_**

**_**Zaela's best friend. Mother hen. Powerhouse and somewhat of a tank. Knows electric moves? **_****_**Fossil **_****_**pok**_****_**é**_****_**mon.**_**

**_**7- "Thunderbug" the ? (Male)**_**

**_**Is not actually a bug type. The group just likes to eff with him. Likes entertainment apparently.**_**

**_**8- Joker, Dark one the ? (Male)**_**

**_**Possibly the most dangerous. Also a close friend of Query.**_**

**_**9- **_****_**Angel**_****_** the ? (Female)**_**

**_**Dedicated healer and transportation specialist. No jokes here. She's the best.**_**

**_**10- Ghost Tass the ? (Male)**_**

**_**Not much known. Other than he's got stereotypical ghost ideas. In other words, can be an ass. Also possibly dangerous. But seriously. Ghost. Big duh. But actually isn't all bad! Gotcha! Uses suffering to heal in some way, somehow.**_**

**_**11- Water Maiden the ? (Female)**_**

**_**Tank of some variety. Prideful as fuck.**_**

**_**12- Legend the ? (Female)**_**

**_**Literally a legendary. Seriously. Its happening. Ella's ultimate goal for proof of her path to the world. Loses to Zaela a lot supposedly. For now. Possibly psychic or some mental ability.**_**


	6. Ch 6- Dreamer and Ancients

**Here we are. The last chapter before we leave Blackthorn for quite a long while. There are six more pokémon to come after Aurora in this chapter. They'll be much more spread out. Its still a long road until Ella gets her legendary. And do I have plans for that fight. After Aurora, which I'm sure a bunch of you have guessed which pokémon she is, there is one last thing to go on. There will be two pokémon accounts at the end of this chapter. Kudos if you guess who the one besides Aurora is. Hint, its not any perspective from previous chapters and it is definitely not a pokémon Ella will catch. Just one she knows. There was a hint in last chapter about what this might be as well.**

**I'm considering this the end of season one so to speak as I definitely view this as a show in my head. I'm still going strong with inspiration and want to write more so regular updates for now. I think all this in four or so days is good yeah? Of course I've been dreaming of this story for years. Lots of giant pay offs in this chapter. Plus, surprise! We're going to Hoenn briefly!**

**The adventure will be in Johto but Ella and her family are going all over the world.**

**frankieu- Yep! Aura is a helpful tool to justify a lot of silly things in this fic of mine. I'm trying not to give her OP abilities on top of the powerful pokémon she's already got. But its always tempting. Mars was the first of all these characters I sat down and planned. Shiny charizard was my fav pokémon until metagross came out. And then what Aurora is. Again, thanks for each review you give.**

**J4C00B0- Glad you've enjoyed it! Query's message to Ella was hard to write but I'm quite proud of it. But I am biased about him. My fave. Thank you for your words!**

**Mezzer 5.2- Yeah my format is all wonky and I desperately need to proofread more. The amount of times I've reuploaded a chapter for mistakes is kind of embarrassing. Glad you're enjoying this though. My MC, I think, is interesting but my passion is her pokémon. They don't talk as much at her but the love she has for them is my love for them too. I hope you like Aurora too. She's different for sure.**

**Pilzkeks- You and Alakrux! Make me blush! Again! For now I have no style other than what I find helps me write. My writing is as much a work in progress as this story. I very much plan to finish Ella's tale. When she recruits guardians eventually I may write their stories. My dream for this is big. I do know that any other story I have won't be a diary. It may be first person but Query is my muse. The reason this is a journal is because I knew he would want a love letter to the person who changed him so much. And then the idea of her also inspiring him to even write to her? Well this is what came about. Thank you for reading. I'd put a heart here but fanfiction ate my last one.**

**Blaze2121- Damn straight. I always envisioned Ella growing into a distinct and unique looking character. If I knew how to draw she'd be on my profile already. Thanks for reading. Your review made me spit take in laughter btw. Gj.**

**Alakrux- Speaking of you! Yeah. I repeated it probably too many times but dragons and hardship. I miiiiight have paraphrased you at the end of this chapter. It was just so epic I couldn't not put it in. And yep. As always this is about the family more than anything else. Always humbled by your reviews. Much thanks.**

**Disclaimer- I own nothing of pokémon. Just my oc's.**

* * *

Dreamer

Year Six

Here it is. The last year I'm going to be in Blackthorn. The last year at home. I could argue that anywhere with my pokémon is home. That actually is true. Hrm. I can have two homes! Mom and I are already thinking of what's going to happen later. At the end of the year rather. Prep work is already starting. Not surprising considering I've been thinking about this for nine years now.

Enough. Updates. I've been in contact with Professor Oak on and off. Mostly updating him on what is going on with my team, especially Zaela, as well as chortling that he gave me a shiny charmander egg. Sure, it would have ended up mine no matter what but who says I can't fuck with him? I like him but everyone deserves to be trolled some of the time.

The man is frothing at the mouth again to have me visit. I told him I could do him one better if he didn't mind a trip to Hoenn. Its time to get my last team member in a month or so. The aftermath of Mathew Stone was a bit brutal until I stepped in. Mother was all set to go on the warpath. Her reasoning is there is no way Mathew could have hired the mercs he had without support of his family. Frankly, I agree. Somewhere one of them gave him funds.

It not all that surprising. Exiled as he might be I would imagine his direct family wouldn't stop being in touch with them. Probably didn't expect him to do what he did though. It doesn't matter. He's dead. That is payment enough. What I told mom is that I'd be fine if they gave me something I really wanted and say, discounts from their products for the rest of my life. My mother is fierce as I've constantly noted but she relented.

Its hard to keep my gaze with my eyepatch. Oh! I've got a few now. There is a sparkly pink one with over the top glitter I'm saving to fuck with Lance. Just imagine his face when we have our rematch and I show up with that. Psychological warfare bitches. And six others. Guess what they match? If you think my pokémon then yes. Joy's wife does a lot of repair work for the Clan and she was happy to match the tints of each of my family. My most worn one is Query's silver-gold as he makes what I _assume_ is his version of a squee that I would adorn his colors. I guess because I so often wear clothing that matches Zaela.

Huh. I've never noticed that. Right. Going to go buy outfits to match all my family.

Back on track. My request? Its expensive. And brand new….And I'm pretty positive I'm going to have the first fossil of this species in the world. There are a few omanyte and kabuto out there with very wealthy trainers. When mom heard how much the process cost she was quite happy to take this as revenge. The Stone family agreed reluctantly.

From what I recall Joseph Stone is a good man and probably doesn't deserve the pressure my mother was putting on his company. Yet, so far, we haven't leaked any of what has happened so he's gotten off easy. One of his family trying to kill the daughter of the Blackthorn Gym Leader? Yeaaaah.

So off to Hoenn. This time both mom and dad are going with me! Its a much longer trip so airplane it is. Professor Oak decided to come along as I told him I was going to get a fossil revived and I'd be much happier if he were there. That's not even a lie. I might know that Steven and Joseph are good people in theory but their family is not very welcome in the Den.

Before I go a bit about the team. Query is preparing for evolution. It'll actually happen in Hoenn which is fine by him. He's got something to prove to the Stones due to his original connect to them. Most of his time is spent meditating and ingesting a lot of minerals. Iron especially. Once he evolves his move pool will increase a lot again. And hopefully another breakthrough in his fighting style.

Zaela is prospering. Finishing Draco Meteor has made her terrain control so scary that no two people on the team can defeat her in a fight. Query comes the closest but he really doesn't yet have long range options to force her into a one on one battle. Past that her new moves of choice to work on right now are dragon rush and earthquake. We've got plans for a combo to use on Momma before we leave on the journey. Mars thought it up.

Speaking of my other shiny, Mars' evolution has put him back into training with a, pardon the pun, fire under his feet. Heh. The combo moves he apparently had been planning before evolution are inspired. He can stand against everyone one on one right now if given a bit of time to prepare. He even beat Query once with a clever use of blaze he calls Firewall. He basically tanked his own damage to keep Query in the attack until victory. I can't wait to see how he works as a charizard.

Sunny is driven. She's still a bottle of happiness. The shock of my injury and the death in the valley have faded into a distant memory. While she sticks closer to me than ever she's also started to be wary of strangers. I do and don't miss her utterly open attitude of before but I want her safe more than I want her friendly. She's coming into her own finally. The early evolution's drawback is finally bottoming out. She's learned more moves in the last four months than I think any of the team has in that amount of time. Well. Except Mars. Moonblast, Safeguard, Light Screen and Reflect. Misty Terrain too. She's been visiting mom's defensive dragonite and an altaria in the Den to train to protect her family members with support. Helping Hand has become especially potent.

Its Truthseeker that has made the most progress though. Her Heal Sphere has outclassed mine and we've developed shock and awe inserts into combat designed to distract an opponent and heal allies at the same time. Counter has been providing wonders when we train with some of the Den inhabitants and get into brawls. EMT is a lot of Quick Attack/Me First movement with simultaneous healing pulses and plans to spam double teams and substitutes as distraction. Aided by Sunny's long range snipes and various barrier moves it means we haven't lost anyone to fainting in the brawls. As well as infuriated pretty much everyone we fight.

As a lucario she's gotten more hardy and can stand up to Zaela and Query now. She's not quite their level but the gap is closing. Sadly she has to take it a bit easier on me in our sparring but she also is learning how to teach me more now that her aura abilities have grown immensely. There is a lot of growing to be done all around.

Back when I'm in Hoenn!

A few days later.

So many interesting things have happened. I won't spoil the surprise any longer. If you hadn't guessed journal-kun my last pokémon for the first team is an amaura. Now, how might an amaura fossil wind up in Johto if as far as we know they are only in Kalos? No idea. Fate BS? Maybe the species was more widespread than thought? Eh. I'm not going to worry. Got a lot more to tell before we speak of Aurora. The process took three days in order to revive her. And what a three days. I'll put her info first though!

_Aurora the Amaura (Female)_

_Nature: Modest_

_Abilities: Refrigerate, Snow Warning (Hidden)_

_Moves: Powder Snow, Thunder Wave, Haze, Barrier, Mirror Coat, Sandstorm, Hail, Magnet Rise, Discharge_

She's amazing. But first Hoenn. We flew south, south-east to land just outside of Lilycove City. We could have taken the plane all the way to Rustboro but mom preferred to use league Alakazam for the rest of the trip. She might be just a tad paranoid right now. For good reason. Rustboro isn't as grand as I thought it would be but the Devon Corp building sure is.

The city is modern I suppose but doesn't have the heavy presence I associate with the Dragon's Den or the Clan compound. Even Blackthorn city seems….More. I keep Tru out to help judge intentions and also to put people on their back foot. You can't lie or deceive a lucario. Lucario also refuse to follow those they view as distasteful. It'll drive in how very fucked up it is for Mathew to have pursued me.

Also I want Steven to be super jelly even _before_ I show off Query. What? Steven might be my second favorite cham-Oh wait. Lance is family now. Welp. I guess he's my first favorite followed by Cynthia. Sorry Steven. Number three. But yes. More trolling.

The inside of Devon Corp is about what you'd expect. Even now, eleven years before the anime, its quite advanced. One of the various security looking people immediately recognizes us and is on a radio whispering something urgently. The receptionist stands and gives us a warm smile that I can tell is genuine. Its a bit surprising to feel anger for me come off of him. Tru gives him a pleased smile and his eyes widen at my lucario before really focusing on my eyepatch. Today I'm wearing Query again. Its going to be a statement with his surprise.

Mother walks forward, cape trailing like she's Snape but with actual intimidation in droves. I don't often see her in her Gym Leader personal. Except for the valley our training is intense, sure, but not where she treats me like a bug come to attempt to defeat her. The poor friendly receptionist pales and stammers.

"Mrs...Mrs Mita. Uh. Right. Ho-honored to meet you. If you'd please come this way Mr. Stone is waiting for you." The poor guy. I'd normally be quite happy to see mom glare him to death if only for her pleasure but he truly is sorry for what we've gone through. My hand reaches up to her arm and I slowly soften my gaze and nod towards the man.

"Forgive my mother sir. She's rightfully upset. It makes her a bit testy. Thank you for your concern for me." I like to think I can eye-smile like Kakashi right now. It or my tone works as the man relaxes then blinks as if realizing I knew what he was feeling. Tru just winks at him as we move through the indicated door. His confusion is pleasant as is Tru actually teasing someone for once.

"_Madam Mita. He truly was angry for Mistress. I would advise you thank him when we come back down. Such justified anger is admirable." _Oh yeah. Tru figured out how to talk to people. Its great. Also led to another play to fuck with friends later.

The room we come into is like a stereotypical lab in pokémon worlds except on crack. Screens and data run constantly around us. Giant tubes with various stones and liquids I don't know the first thing about surround us. Dad is in heaven. Mom just waves him off to go talk to people he probably knows. He'll be useless to Mom's plan to make Mr. Stone uncomfortable. We've agreed to the reparations but she's still righteously angry.

I can see Joseph already. As I hoped, a young Steven Stone is standing next to his father. He's about Lance's age. Twelve. He's already dressed in his signature suit and looks poised and confident. His father is an older version if a bit thicker. Next to them is Samuel Oak who looks quite pleased to see me. Chuckling I move forward past my mom to give him a hug. We've gotten closer over the last year with letters about my team. Anyone who cares about my family almost as much as mine is worthy of hugging. My head turns from his chest to wink my one good eye at the Stones who have no fucking clue what to make of that.

"Its good to see you Ella. I am very sorry for what happened to you. I know I said as much in our last letter but still." I just grin at him again as Tru comes to stand behind me, offering the professor a respectful bow. "Let me introduce you. Joseph, Steven, this is Ella Mita." There is a hint of coolness in his voice. The same one that hit me back when Sunshine evolved.

Freeing myself from the hug I turn and offer my hand to Jospeh. "Mr. Stone. It is a pleasure." He shakes my hand firmly but his face tells me he doesn't know what to make of me. Steven is surprisingly more composed but flinches slightly at the touch of my hand when its his turn. Callouses are something I got when I was four and they never left. Its called Rough Skin. Then a steel pokémon. I'm never going to be a soft woman.

"Its good to meet you even if the circumstances are unpleasant." My head tilts and Tru pulses amusement. She knows what's going to happen. Mother is about to walk up and make things uncomfortable. Why not help her?

"What do you mean Mr. Stone?" My head tilts in a way I can still pull off. My face is still cute despite the eyepatch and I left my honey-blonde hair undone. I'm still going to dye it black someday, maybe but for now I know I'm being 'cute'. "I get another part of my family. Why would anything be unpleasant about that?"

Samuel makes a choking sound that is obviously him trying not to laugh. Bless him. Mother's aura flairs a bit as she's satisfied with some of my revenge.

"Erm. Right. Forgive me for the assumption. And you must be Hannah Mita. Pleased to meet you." My mother looks at the man, then through him. She lets his hand linger for a while then shakes it firmly.

"My daughter kept me from doing something rash. I do hope you treat her_ well_ here." Oh my. I've never heard her this angry. Her voice is soft and deadly. I know this sounds a bit unreasonable. That she blames all of the Stones for the actions of one. The issue is that they are as much of a Clan as we are. And for her? If one person of Blackthorn did something such as what Mathew did the first time? She'd likely have that person meet with an accident or imprisoned for life. And the Clan would be pleased with it. Thus what Mathew did to me the second time hit her all the more harshly. In olden times she'd have likely ridden to war.

Joseph just lets out a bit of a sigh and nods. Perhaps he does know how badly he is viewed by my mother. "Lets get to business then. If you would all come this way?" The President of Devon Corp leads us deeper into the building. Samuel steps beside me as I move to walk next to Steven. Hey. He's probably going to be Champion. Despite the poor start I'd love to have him as a friend later. I'm about to speak to him but then hold my tongue. Maybe Samuel will blurt out interesting things.

"So Ella. I hope you don't mind if I take a look at your family while you are here? I'm eager to see Mars for the first time." Yep! Steven is already looking over curiously.

"Why not now? Steven, if I can call you that? I don't want both you and your father to look over each time I say Mr. Stone." Not likely. Joseph is unsuccessfully attempting to engage my Mom in small talk. Steven merely offers me a polite smile and nod.

"Of course. Steven is fine...And so long as this Mars isn't larger than a tauros it should be fine to let them out."

My grin is wide as Tru lets out a chuckle. She's also noticed how Steven was observing her. His fascination with steel types is well known even today. Thumbing Mars' pokéball I call out my shiny charmeleon. All my pokémon are aware of what is going on. No stasis for them either. They're ready to pop out immediately. Mars just snorts at Steven's wide eyed gaze and turns to consider the equally fascinated Professor Oak.

"Magnificent. It is nice to meet you Mars. I'd like to say you are the offspring of my charizard but I'm afraid not. Your line is that of a breeder from the Charicific Valley. If I'd known you were to be so unique I'm happy to say I'd still hand you off to Ella. She's done wonders with Query after all." Warmth for the man abounds as Mars lets out a rare bit of pride. Curious eyes move from the professor as he gazes along the hallway and into some of the labs we pass.

Samuel is already examining him as best he can as we walk, absorbed in the special coloring of the yellow scales Mars displays. "Forgive me Miss Mita but who is Query and why would the Professor judge you worthy of a shiny pokémon because of them?"

Yes! My trap is sprung! "Well Steven. I tell you what. Once we are done setting up my fossil why don't we have a battle? My Query versus your strongest." I really am enjoying myself. Steven's eyes widen then narrow a little. The slightest of grins comes across his face.

"Are you certain? I am very likely to win the Hoenn League this year. I came in fourth last year." There is no boastful tone in his words. Just confidence.

"I'm the daughter of Hannah Mita. I am quite certain I know what I'm getting into." His response is a simple handshake and I'm glad to say that his aura is strong, pure and honest. My good eye softens as I let go.

"Lighten up Steven. I hold your family no ill will." Samuel chuckles a bit at that which leads the younger Stone to relax a little and start up a conversation about lucario, even if he occasionally glances at Mars.

The walk is pleasant then as we all enjoy speaking of our favorite subject. Pokémon.

Watching Steven jump when Tru tells him to just ask her directly is pretty great too.

I don't appreciate how massive the building is until about ten minutes later we get to the lab. I'm told later there are no elevators there so it can't be hacked by outside parties. If someone wants to get to this lab they have to go a long trek that allows security ample time to converge and detain. The fossil-revive machine we come to is massive. I remember seeing a small sort of thing in the games and perhaps dad will be responsible for getting it to that size.

The Professor steps up with the briefcase he carries. Inside is my fossil. I sent it to him six or so months ago during my rehabilitation to make sure it was what I thought and that there was enough DNA in it. He's not exactly an expert on the subject but the novelty of studying it and my earnest plea got him on board. Also I promised that if I needed to send my team to anyplace I'd set it up to go to his ranch. Easy yes there.

Mother and Joseph seem to have cooled down a bit as the scientist takes my fossil with not a little bit of awe. The reason things have taken this long is they needed to set up a custom program for my amaura. It will indeed be the first in the world. She. She will be.

The next part is boring for the most part. Setting it in place and turning the machine on. Three days now. Three days until she's here. Beaming at Mr. Stone isn't hard.

"Now that that's done I have a date with your son. Is there a nearby field to battle in? If you come Professor I'll let the rest of my team out for you. I know you have a lab here or something they probably let you use but I think you'd very much enjoy seeing Query." Hint hint.

The Professor is no dummy. "I'd love to come. I'll even referee." Mother nods her assent, quiet and menacing as Joseph sighs, deciding to come as well its back on the ten minute walk. Yay.

Twenty minutes later we're in a private field I'm sure Steven uses. The familiar field design greets us as I let loose my team. Zaela lets out her usual roar but turns it into constant low growling. Steven to his credit doesn't step back but Joseph sure does. Mother just smiles. Sunshine immediately runs to the Professor to babble at him even if he can't understand it. She remembers him quite well and runs her ribbons all over his hands to make sure he's healthy.

Mars and Tru simply stand off next to my mother and wait for the show to begin. The Professor has to promise that yes he will indeed pet her and tell her of how he is once the battle is finished. Standing halfway down he looks at us both, Sunshine finally calming as she remembers what's going on.

Query's ball warms in my hand. He's ready. Steven Stone is across from me. He's the reason I love metagross. Can't fib to myself. Query would not be who he is without the inspiration of the person before me. The smile I give him confuses him but as it slides feral, ready for battle, he straightens.

"This will be a one on one battle between Steven Stone of Rustboro City and Ella Mita of Blackthorn. There will be no items allowed and the battle will end with forfeit or knock out. Release your pokémon on my mark."

Flashbacks to Zaela's battle against Lance hit me. This is the second time I'm going up against a future Champion and I'm far less sure of my victory this time. Query has been with me for four long years though. Professor Oak's hand drops and the snap of two pokéballs signal our choices.

I am not surprised by the blue-steel metagross across from me. Steven is shocked by Query for a moment. His mouth opens to command until the bright blinding light of Query's message occurs. Evolution is magical as always. This is a bit more special though. My boy saved it for us. For this day. The day we met four years ago. To show the people who didn't know what to do with him that he's strong.

That he is better with me than anywhere else. Humility fills me intensely as two forearms become four massive legs. The crash of his form as his evolution completes snaps all by my mother out of their stupor.

"In close. Psi-Fist." Steven's eyes are wide as saucers as my boy explodes with Agility. Since the valley he's not stopped using it at all times until he can't go on. Never again will he fall behind as much as he did. I'm not sure if Steven is giving commands mentally to his metagross but its already moving towards mine. A mistake.

"Mash storm. Test it." Glowing forearms on the other metagross greet the arrival of my silver-gold one. Query just starts up Psi-Fist stage one. I'm not sure why I was worried. No one matches my boy up close. No one.

Where he'd normally have only one extra mind to use his psychic spear points to start the devastating method of his to ruin the balance of anyone he faces Query now has three spares. No fewer than six psychic points assault metagross' body. Two divert the incoming Meteor Mash and the other four slam hard on the opposing leg. The shocked tone from Steven's metagross is music to my ears as it is forced to abandon its attack to hold itself up with its own psychic abilities or do the splits. It doesn't work as Query's newly acquired hammer arm hits directly on top of his opponent, slamming him down stomach first into the ground. Six more spears start to force each of metagross' limbs that attempt to help it stand into painful extensions.

Query winds up a Bullet Punch and starts to use metagross's body as an impromptu digging device. Steven's voice finally snaps out. The speed in which Query assaults is staggering and only a few seconds have gone by.

"Get out of there! Evade and stick to fortify!" Immediately his partner starts to shine as iron defense begins to flow. Rock polish follows as it flings itself back with its own psychic attack. Shadow balls start to pepper Query as he uses pursuit but are muted by the light screen Query holds in front of him like a battering ram.

Steven's aura pulses just a hint of panic before it evens out despite Query smashing into metagross with an awful crash. Gravity pulls metargross down as he continues to boost, a reflect lasting just a moment as a bullet punch shifts into a brick break. Query lets go of gravity for a moment and shoves all six of his spears upwards to toss metagross in a direction he didn't expect. Snapping gravity on once more he levitates his body a bit so he can bring two forelegs up to crack metagross with two more hammer arms as it falls.

"Magnetquake!" There is definitely desperation now. Metagross is dazed and dented hard. Out of the corner of my eye I can see the Professor watching intently. He's gotten to know my team from my reports over the last year and knows just how far along they are. Turning my head fully I see Mr. Stone gaping, eyes worried for his son. Mother has that fierce grin she's know for when she gets to beat the snot out of someone she dislikes.

Metagross shoots up at the magnet rise overpowers Query's gravity. Its impressive I must say. The second part of the attack is a point blank earthquake that sends us all staggering. I can sense Steven calming a bit until he sees Query's response. Two limbs slam down in rock smashes against the earthquake as he uses his own Psi-Fist to hammer his other two limbs in the air. Redirecting a lot of the damage is hard but doable. We train against a Champion level ground type. What do you expect?

The result? Query uses the momentum to hitch a ride on metagross. Now that he doesn't have to worry about back stop he uses all four limbs to rain down bullet punches tinged with rock smashes to deal with the rock polish. And just for shits and giggles uses Psych Up, leeching the speed and defense metagross has been amplifying the entire fight. If we weren't so vicious about keeping it in melee Steven and metagross probably would have made it a much more fair fight.

But I've been training Query for war since I met him. Metagross lets out one last strangled hum and crashes down into the dirt. Query is nice enough to float himself over to my side and comes down with a thump next to me, facing Joseph in particular as if daring him to do something stupid.

Samuel clears his throat with only a hint of shakiness at how brutal Query was. "Ahem. The winner is Ella Mita of Blackthorn." Silence follows save for the muted sound of metagross being returned. My single eye is on Steven as I walk forward, Query thumping along next to me. My thoughts reach out to him with joy and pride. The warmth he sends back brings a smile to my face.

"Sorry Steven. Query had a point to make and we weren't exactly trained to hold back." Steven just stares at me for a moment, not sure what to say until my hand reaches out again. "Your metagross is amazing by the way. Not many can last long within Query's range." That's the damned truth. Even Mom's team doesn't like sparring against him.

"Well. I can't say I wasn't a bit skeptical when you offered the battle." Bless him. He didn't say anything to warn me did he? I'm glad. I tend to be meaner to people who underestimate me. "I would very much like to know how Query did such things. I didn't recognize a lot of what he did. It was, sad to say, far too quick."

The burning in his eyes tells me that his pokémon are in for some painful training. I can understand. We've lost to Momma for nearly six years. "Now now. How would you learn if I just handed you the answers? I'm sure you and your partner can figure it out." Good luck on the Psi-Fist though. Stage one might be within the reach of Steven's metagross but Query didn't even hit Stage Two.

"Well. Ah. I think we should call it a day then? I've work to do and I imagine Steven must see his pokémon to the Center." Gotta hand it to him. Joseph kept his cool. Mom grudgingly accepts the excuse and nods at me.

"I'll head along after Professor Oak has a bit of time with my team if that's fine mother." She gazes over me and just grunts. She's really not happy being here. Making her way towards our hotel she just waves permission as Steven gives me a short nod and walks off towards where I remember seeing the Pokémon Center, his face thoughtful. If he's upset at his loss it doesn't show. And his aura just resounds with determination. Huh. Maybe I'll be having a rematch with him after he becomes champion.

The atmosphere is broken as Sunny starts to yell her name out in joy and runs around Query so fast she might as well be using agility.

"_You did it you didityoudidit! You look so cool Query! Let me ride you! You're much bigger now!"_ She doesn't wait for permission. Ribbons snap upwards to aide her jump onto Query's now massive body. Tru just moves upside her fellow steel type and lays a hand on one of his legs.

"_Well done. I know you've wanted to show them what you have become for a long while. May your heart be at ease now."_

Mars' response is to slap his tail against one of Query's legs, ignoring Sunny's pleas for him to join her on top of my Iron Leg pokémon. _"__Well done indeed. I hope when I reach my final form I can do it with all the grace you have."_

My starter moves forward as Query hums appreciation to the words of his teammates. His eyes move up to her. They get along mostly but there is definitely a rivalry. My sister and my inspiration. Both unique and the two pillars of my family.

"_I'm proud of you Query. You are worthy. Still a know it all though."_ My heart fills with warmth as I gaze over my team. This is where I belong.

"_OAKY! Get up here! He's so cool and nice to sit on! You're not doing anything but staring anyway! Really! My butt feels nice on him now that he's smoother!"_

This is the part where we'd all fall down if this were really an anime.

Reviving Day

The last two days have been interesting. Query has spent the majority of his time with Steven's metagross. There are no hard feelings and metagross is fascinated with Query's fighting style. I may not want to give Steven hints about my methods but I would never tell Query not to learn more of his kind. Besides, I doubt it will lead anywhere. Just a hunch.

Steven has been very nice. I am a little guilty about letting Query beat the snot out of him so to speak but he's taken it with grace I'm pretty positive I couldn't manage. The younger Stone has give myself, Sunny and Tru the tour of the city for the last few days and even got us to see the local gym leader. Goliath Shaw is a giant of a man. Reminds me of how Lt. Surge seemed. He's an older fellow and someday likely will be replaced by the petite Roxanne. That'll be an interesting switch.

The rock Gym Leader was particularly interested in me when I told him I'd be getting a rock/ice type in a few days. I teased him about what it was, as there are none in modern times, until I confessed it was a new fossil pokémon. Seeing puppy dog eyes on a man a foot and a half taller than you was pretty funny. He treated me perfectly normal unlike a lot of people who see my patch so I promised him a visit before I left. The grin he gave me after was just as massive as him.

Professor Oak monopolized Zaela and Tru (When she wasn't with me). Zaela to check a bit more on her growth and Tru to translate once he found out she had figured out that aura trick. Mars stuck nearby too and asked all sorts of questions about how his charizard trains.

Mom more or less stayed at Shaw's Gym to compare notes and bully a few of his gym trainers. We also went to a spa. Its a tradition for us now! We find one, we figure out when to visit it.

Finally the day came. My amaura. Tru was with me but also Sunny who found the entire city fascinating. I keep forgetting how she never seems to lose interest in new things. The weather here is warmer and she loves it compared to how damp the Den can get at times. Promising myself we'll visit a tropical beach for her someday I feel like I'm constantly holding my breath.

The machine's low hum spikes a bit as it finishes. Part of the revival is to stimulate egg growth. To get a fossil used to language as a normal pokémon would. Most fossil pokémon pick up things quickly from what I've read. One thing left out of my information about my team is how my amaura will take to the new world. That isn't about helping raise her physically so it wasn't included. I'm not worried. Aura is bull shit after all.

The machine turns down and a hum follows. My last snatched premier ball slides out of the machine on a plain tray. My breath hitches and Sunny's ribbon winds around my non-dominant arm as I pick up the ball. "If its all the same I'd like to greet her privately?" There are a couple disappointed expressions at that but both Steven and the Professor give me approving glances.

Mr. Stone is again talking to my mom and this time she's actually talking back. Just as a note. Dad hasn't been with us for days. Not even for this. I'm not letting it mar this experience but I'm going to be very pissed at home.

Mom has eased up significantly when I tell her that Steven and her father are actually very regretful for my lost eye. She forgave Steven entirely when I told her he doesn't see anything wrong with me. Joseph has been slowly and carefully trying to get an in with my mother to introduce some Devon products that are especially useful towards dragons. Despite her anger she's caving at the possibilities. Silph may be the king in Johto and Kanto but competition is good for everyone.

Leaving the lab I recall Sunny and Tru as I stare at my last team member. The last before I head out into the world. This ball contains someone special. Why? Fate was kind. She gave me my family and they are all so very much more than I am worthy of.

Without noticing I'm in the training field again. Its going into night which is appropriate. Amaura evolve at night after all. My team springs forth. Sunny stands front and center, vibrating in excitement for a new family member. Query hovers about, still getting used to doing so with his new form. There's a reason he spent most of his time on the ground in the fight with Steven's partner.

Mars snorts a bit and sighs. He's not exactly happy with a rock pokémon member who will be able to wreck his shit when he's fully evolved. That four times weakness hurts his pride a bit. I take that as a sign he's letting more of his heritage show. And its cute.

Zaela and Tru are the most curious. Zaela is eager for a teammate who can help her with her largest weakness. Another four times danger. I've got a lot of ideas on that and she's quite happy to try them out. Tru is calm and sits down cross legged to meditate until its her turn to talk.

Not wasting anymore time I set her free. Blue and white tough leathery hide cover the Tundra Pokémon. Small wing-like fins wave on top of her head on either side as she stretches her long neck. Crooning out delight at the feeling of the cool air on her skin she turns bright blue eyes up to us. Standing just over four feet she's not that much shorter than me and I let my face split in a giant grin. She's everything I could of imagined. Her voice comes out smooth and more mature than I expected. Perhaps in her late teens from the way my aura translates.

"_Oh my. Who all are you all? So many interesting faces. Pleased to meet you." _I remember idly that amaura lived in places with no true predators to their kind so her calm demeanor makes sense.

"My name is Ella Mita and this is my team. The big scary one behind me is my sister Zaela. Beside her with the shiny metal skin is Query. Tru is the blue and black one to my left and the fire lizard is Mars. The one I'm trying to keep from jumping at you in joy is Sunny." I'm not sure how to handle this but I shouldn't have worried. The amaura plods forward and gazes down at Sunny in obvious delight.

"_Well aren't you the cutest? What are you? You are all so unfamiliar but I am quite happy to see you. I know...Something is different. I remember fire and destruction then nothing. Until a warmth that feels like you, Ella." _She's speaking to me but her tone has shifted to that warm one you use when gazing at something adorable. Sunny isn't even talking she's so excited. Ribbons move up to touch the amaura's neck and face as Sunny pulses her welcome. Her tail is wagging like mad and she breaks free to rub against the prehistoric pokémon.

"Sunny is a sylveon. You've been asleep for quite a long while. Most of you kind and the world you know is gone I'm afraid. The essence that is you was around me for a long while. I would imagine that warmth was this." Flexing my hand I light it up with aura. Ever since I lost my eye my aura has been growing exponentially. Its still not up to pokémon standards but I'm getting there.

Amarua just widens her eyes a bit at the display and hums contentment at Sunny's greeting. She continues to look at our team and peers up at me a bit more curiously. _"It sounds like you went to a great deal of effort to bring me back?" _

Tru speaks up the, her own voice laced with aura. Perhaps amaura isn't familiar with aura but the feeling of it calms all but the most angry of pokémon. _"My Mistress seeks to right wrongs in the world. Most of us share the dream or have similar goals. All of us seek to gain strength to defend our own. She wishes for you to join us and find family."_

Leave it to my truthseeker to get to the heart of the matter bluntly yet with diplomacy. She's come a long way.

Amaura considers this as she continues to fuss over Sunny who has decided humming a little tune is good enough for her as she's still too excited to get her words out. _"It also sounds as if you would be...Fighting? Is that right?"_

I'm not sure of her tone there. Hesitation is fine and while I'd love for her to battle with me I know she may have not had a life where that mattered.

"_Yes! Battles are scary and can be bad but that's not what is best! Mom loves us and we love her! We fight to make sure we are safe. I don't know if you ever had to fight to help someone but that's what I'm learning to do. Even if its scary! You feel nice. Even if you're cold. Please join us! You're so pretty and I can tell you're nice!" _Really she can. Her ribbons have been over amaura constantly.

Laughing slowly at it all amaura nods her head gracefully. _"For now I will. There is that warmth to consider. And normally I don't like warmth. So if only to discover more of this world with a family that obviously cares for each other I shall give you all a chance. Battling sounds interesting. I was always good at thwacking annoying persons with rocks."_

Mars looks a bit interested despite himself and Query moves forward slowly to start true introductions. I hang back and let it wash over me. The first half of my team is complete.

"_Look. Query seems smart but don't believe everything he says. I'm the strongest so you should hear me out."_

"_Zaela. Stop that. Please do not worry, Mistress' sister looks scary but she is kind in her own way. Just fierce."_

"_Damn right I am. You can do a lot of damage to me Aurora. So we're going to be best friends. I need someone other than these weaklings to take me on." _

"_Aurora? Is that what you call my kind?"_

"_No. I think you're called an amaura but my sister showed me pictures of these lights up north that look like your wing-things. The-"_

"_Did you just call me weak Zaela? Didn't I make you go hard on me last week for the first time?"_

"_Yeah fire face. The first time. After over a year with us. Took you long enough."_

"_Stop fighting! You're making us look bad in front of the pretty lady!"_

"_I agree. Please forgive them. Zaela is jealous that I evolved a few days ago."_

"_What?! Wanna go Query? Huh? We'll see if you can back up your shi-"_

"_Stoooooooooop! No cursing! She'll think we are mean and not wanna come"_

Laughter from the newcomer breaks up the bickering. Its smooth and cool but fills me with joy as she nods faintly. _"Of course. We can't have that. If I'm to join you we must be respectable should we not? And Aurora sounds perfect."_

A bit of a pause.

"_Well of course it is. I made it up."_

Back in Blackthorn a few days later.

I shouldn't have worried. Aurora is fitting in perfect. She's taken to trailing behind one of us each day in rotation. As there isn't much knowledge on her kind, none really, Joy has spent the last day and a half studying her with her consent. Plus it really hard to resist a Joy.

Training with Aurora won't happen for a month or so. I put my foot down with Zaela. Its the first time we've truly argued in a few years. That stubborn gible who wouldn't listen to me. Aurora needs a bit of time to get used to people and the new world she's in. She was shocked to find out that I wasn't a pokémon. Not that she recognized the word until I explained it.

She's very steady. Slow in nature but not wit and with a maturity that eases my mind. Out of all my pokémon she seems to be the most down to earth. Query is a close second but the daily board games with Bub have changed to board games with four people at the same time. And in anime logic they are named Rob, Jud and Ran. All older folks. I'm 100% convinced they are just fucking with me. I wouldn't put it past Query's odd sense of humor.

Aurora is fascinated by technology and anything that makes life easier. Roads made her head spin and the fastest I've seen her move was to try and keep a passing care in view and demanding to know what it was. Joy is easily her favorite person as they have the same mothering demeanor about them. And she's got this humor about her. As if everything we say makes her laugh inside.

Clair is leaving in a week. Its been hard to think she's gone. I don't write about her as much as my pokémon but she's a pretty daily presence in my life since Lance left. Which makes my surprise to her parents about her traveling partner all that much more sweet.

The day before she would leave with her dratini Lance returned. I had been slowly needling him into taking her with him to his next region. I might have been a bit unfair and said I'd battle him after I got my twelfth pokémon. Considering I know that to be a legendary and it likely won't be for some years yet? Yeah its a bit unfair. Then again he knew I spread out getting my current team. Maybe he's just being a hero.

With the news that Lance would help her through her first region her parents were overjoyed. I might have cried a bit as they left. Clair certainly did. She promised to be back in time for Johto next year so she could face me in the Conference. No offer to join my journey. We both knew I had planned long ago to go by myself. Alright. Off to introduce Aurora to ice cream.

A few months later.

Things are going well. The team is stronger than ever and Aurora is finally ready to strut her stuff. With how she acts I was a little worried she was just battling to please us but she seems quite eager to get stronger. The first session was fun. She's not exactly super strong but its hilarious how she likes to fight. I'll share it.

Zaela was all ready for this day. My gabite was getting larger. Evolution is not that far off and I suspect she's waiting to fight Momma to let herself get that last push. The funny part is, I think Mars is going to beat her. Which will cause suuuuuch drama. Today though she stands across from Aurora in one of our training pits. I say pit because we've utterly wrecked this place over the years. Nothing grows here and we have to refill the area from attacks.

Tru and Query stop sparring, both of them getting used to switching energy mid swing to counter expectations of attacks. Sunny is in my lap. She tuckered herself out with her run this morning and after babysitting Joy and Becca's twins. Who I'm a bit shocked to say have aura. I'm not sure how I feel about it. Its not overly strong but I have to consider that proximity to me cause it to catch. Whatever the case if they are interested in training much later in life I'll consider it.

I don't know if Joy and Becca would want them to follow my dangerous path. Mars is running around creating combinations that boggle my mind. He's turned that move he pulled last year against the mightyena into an art. He's added double team to almost everything he does with little to no energy. Query has been complimenting him on his efficiency so I mean. That's impressive and a half.

Zaela's impatient snort follows and I just sigh. "Alright sis. Be nice and don't go too hard on her." Now my starter knows that but sometimes she gets just a tad too excited.

The soft growl in response makes me chuckle as I nod for them to start.

I haven't talked about Zaela's fighting style in a while. Sand erupts from the ground as earth power slams enough of it into the air for Zaela's sandstorm to become so thick I can barely see her with even my aura. Aurora is quite calm as she hums and brings up ice around her in a Haze. She follows it up by a powder snow along with her ability. Hail and her attack swirl up the haze and foil Zaela's sandstorm enough that I can see her. Haze is supposed to negate status changes and it shows. Zaela's sand veil means nothing.

Rather than be pissed that after nearly six years someone has finally gotten through her defense Zaela grins in pleasure and dips into the ground as if it were water. Still standing in one spot, Aurora just lets out a slow whirl of energy around her, the hail pattering the ground in droves. Something shifts and suddenly she's hovering right above Zaela's teeth, the magnet rise she powers through her head fins holding her just long enough that she can spit a powder snow point blank at my dragon.

Zaela hisses in displeasure at the four times damage and what follows is an amusing game of whack-a-Zae for the next few minutes. My starter could destroy Aurora but she's also making sure to stick around the prehistoric pokémon's level. Eventually she tires of it and a gout of dragon breath puts Aurora down. Not unconscious but she's been using her abilities non-stop the entire fight. I treat them both, as its truly Zaela's first time dealing with ice and am pleased to note that they become quick friends.

Anyone who has the potential to take on a dragon is fine in Zaela's books. Even Query. She just doesn't tell him.

More time later.

Its been a while since I've written and there isn't a huge amount to say. Ever since Aurora has found her place as den mother of the group things have meshed well immensely. Aurora is fascinated by cooking and while can't really do it in the traditional sense she's started using her ice abilities and berries to make us slush balls of amazing taste. I've pillaged mom's TM case again and secured her Ice Beam to diversify her abilities. She picked up Ancient Power from Mars and between Sunny and her singing they taught each other Round which I had Plans for.

Mars has finished most of his combos those many require he activate blaze. Tru's healing is stronger than every and she's gotten very good at dodging damage and safely tanking what she can't. Zaela has been pushing herself harder than ever and I can see the start of a combo move with Aurora that just might give us an edge for what is to come.

Query has finally mastered step two of Psi-Fist though its power needs work. The execution is perfect but he may just not be strong enough to use it fully on our last opponent. Sunny has finally gotten to the point where she can keep up with the rest. It was a hard year for her in training but she's still our Sunshine. And she might just be our trump card. The team is finally ready for our last challenge. Momma.

* * *

Ancient

This is an odd idea I think. Talking to you without you being here. All the things that have been shown to me and still something simple surprises me. When I was pulled to this world by you and our family I truly did not know what to do my dear.

My senses screamed to hide from Zaela but now she and I are so close it is a silly thought that she could ever harm me. Mars disliked that I beat him quite easily for a long while and now he happily devours my ice treats with pouty eyes asking for more.

And Sunny. Bright girl. Beyond special.

Angel helps me with my job keeping you all in line.

Thundebu-why must we call him this name? He does not deserve all this teasing. He's a good boy. And yes I'm biased because of how he helped me early on.

Tass perhaps is the only one who resents my aide but I think secretly he's pleased. I would imagine it helps with his work.

Joker needs reassurance more than you think lovely girl. I'd take him aside soon and make sure you're on the same page.

That prideful water type needs a bit of humility. I understand that she's so very lovely but everyone is in their own way.

You already know how I feel about our legend. But we're past that thankfully.

Tru is the only one I struggle with. She never lets me take care of her. You should scold her.

Just as I'm going to scold you. This is silly my darling. You take too much on yourself. We are here to help but we shouldn't have to. You made the Order to do exactly what you are doing. So let them. Some may die, its true, but you have prepared them as best you can.

Just as you have us. My lovely girl, you know pain and it shows. Not letting your family in just passes the pain to us without a chance to heal it. I shall guilt you all I want if it gets you to listen.

Angel says you feel like a hole in the heart at times. You know you cannot hide from her so why attempt it? Did you not seek her out to keep this very thing at bay?

My life in the before times was tough but easy compared to how it is now. I would not go back in any circumstances. I never have known such close bonds until now. I didn't think I would evolve either. I was the oldest of my kind where I lived that had not changed into what I am now.

We all worry for you. I most of all but that is my nature. I am not saying forget your anguish. Just allow it to ease and settle. And perhaps eat more. I don't like you thin. I just want what's best for you.

A little bit to cheer you up then before I go. Zaela is flirting hard with Mars right now and he again doesn't know what to do. She's showing him how she can headbutt a stone edge that would take him out with one hit. Its so very silly how helpless she is at really showing how she feels.

Do you remember when the world first glimpsed that we would change it? I do. Think on that event. The first time when we stood above a goal no one could imagine being accomplished. That is your gift to us beloved girl. You brought me back from death into a world that has given me a life to live. You give us the impossible.

* * *

Momma

Garchomp knew this child would be special. In all the clutches she's had this one would be her legacy. Its a pity she'd have to toss her out into the harsh world. A worthy partner from the nearby clan had never presented itself.

Until her. Small. Tiny. Insignificant. But burning with the power of life and determination. No fear, but respect.

Garchomp was curious. Perhaps this gnat could be a dragon. Time passed and the egg was ready. The gnat had teeth and was born true of the Clan. She would do.

Garchomp tried to teach her that dragons need hardship to grow strong. Gnat argued that there is no greater hardship than Garchomp.

Garchomp considered this and hoped to dream she could watch her legacy grow. Against instinct, trusting gnat's lifeforce, Garchomp decided to do what was advised.

Years past. Joy. Such joy. Garchomp remembered her trainer. Who while could not speak to her as this little one could, was the same type of companion. Who knew her strength. Her daughter grew true and Garchomp knew that she now had two daughters.

Joy again at seeing how the gnat, now hatchling, respected this gift and used it to make great strides.

Garchomp warned her mate away. She knew he would kill her pink daughter and Garchomp did not wish it. She would kill him if he tried.

Training. So much training. Fighting. Every day for years. New family for her daughter arrived and grew strong. Garchomp remembered what it was like to have companions. The last died many years past. Garchomp remembered the plant fondly.

Six now under her pink daughter. Garchomp made it clear that she would not accept them if they did not defeat her before they left to grow stronger than her. Garchomp's dearest wish is for her daughters to rule over all they see as dragons should.

The day had come. Garchomp's daughters had arrived to prove their worth. Garchomp is glad she did not follow her instincts. The air feels like it did with her Master. Before they would tear their opponents pride from them and rip the world in two. Garchomp howled out the cry that caused all in the Den to know not to approach or face her full wrath.

Her legacy daughter roars back. Her pink daughter responds with her lifeforce, pulsing determination. They are ready. They must break Garchomp or she will break them.

* * *

Worth

After so many years in her presence I got somewhat used to Momma's power. Not now. I can feel Sunny start chanting encouragement to the others under her breath as she struggles not to falter herself. Mars simply starts to hop from foot to foot readying Dragon Dance. Query has already set up Light Screens and Reflects while Barriers form from Aurora. Zaela just rushes. Momma does nothing. We are the challengers and must come to her.

I step back. My best bet is to toss heals out for now and try not to attract Momma's attention. She'll savage me if I even attempt to get close. Mars finishes his boost and follows in Zaela's wake, claws flashing as Zaela makes contact. The Dragon Rush she uses is immediately countered by Momma's Dragon Claw and my starter eats dirt in a way she hates. At the feet of her mother. But she did it for good reason.

She sinks into the ground immediately as the Helping Hand boosted Ice Beam from the thick Sandstorm surrounding Aurora lances up Momma's side. Hail pours into the Sandstorm and meshes creating a thick curtain of cover that both Tru and I can't see my amaura in even with our aura. A Hyper Beam is Momma's response. My breath hitches, hoping our counter to this is well and good. The crack of Light screen after Light screen sounds as Query and Sunny both blunt the damage to Aurora...And then a savage orange Mirror Coat, Refrigerated, double powered Hyper Beam slams right into Momma with enough force to smash her through the boulder behind her then through two trees past that. The angered roar she gives means she felt that.

Mars arrives then, slamming his new move Dragon Blitz into Momma's side and speeding past at insane speed for his size. The Dragon Rush/Flare Blitz hybrid takes a lot out of him but he continues on. Tru is already in the hail/sandstorm healing up Aurora as Sunny begins sniping with Moonblasts. Momma is up quicker than we like and Stone Edges the size of trucks follow after Mars. They close in until he's Ally Switched with Query whose Reflects blunt the damage of the boulders enough that his heavy armored form absorbes the rest. Momma is about to crush him, already on her feet when her feet dip into quicksand.

She'd normally just take over the sand from her daughter if not for the Ice Beam that flash freezes her feet in place for the instant that Sunny needs to use her Skill Swapped Refrigerated Round to slam into Momma. My brave girl darts in closer to keep it up as Aurora's terrain follows her to continue the Round after Sunny lets go of Skill Swap and is switched with Metagross who takes the massive Metal Claw Momma brings down on where Sunny was.

Behind Momma Mars Dragon Blitz's again as Zaela's waiting is done. Stealth Rocks rise as she hammers an Earthquake on the trapped Momma. Mars is spared the damage as Query activates Magnet Rise and Ally Switches again and all four of his limbs start to smash Hammer Arms down. The battering is backed by Bullet Punch speed to offset the draining of the Agility he was using from the start.

For a moment I think we have her. Momma destroyes my hope by the Rock Slide she launches into Aurora's cover. Its so large that nothing in her localized space is spared. Numbly I return Aurora as I feel her consciousness leave her. Too many Heal Pulses would be needed to get her back up. Sunny screams in anger at her favorite of us besides me is put down. Moonblasts abound as Momma just drops into the ground and tosses Zaela out from it into a tree. The Stealth Rocks hammer her as she moves but its the Misty Terrain Sunny pulses out that truly irritates her. She really wants to slam my Sunny into the ground but Query is her real threat. Already his Psi Fist is tossing her off balance as Zaela constantly fights her for the earth under her feet. Mars howls out as Blaze activates. Some of the Rock Slide got him and Flare Blitz hurts him quite a lot.

I enter for the first time, tossing dual Heal Spheres at Mars and charging another for Zaela as she's switched with Query, a point blank Dual Chop just outside the Misty Terrain slamming into her mother. Momma screams in pain at that one. Helping Hand is too useful. Tru finally comes in again having climbed up one of the nearby trees and waiting patiently. The Copycat of Zaela's attack staggers Momma even as Mars hits the top of her head with another Dragon Blitz. My next Heal Pulse tags him again.

Momma roars her displeasure and suddenly she's gone. Pulsing her power over the ground she descends and emerges next to Sunny. My girl stares up defiantly as she attempts to get up a reflect and Momma's massive bladed arm descends. Tru EMTs and catches the attack with the most massive clang and hits up Counter. Again Momma is tossed into the side of her lair by the sheer presence. Query switches with Tru as Sunny runs after, her Wish already starting to repair Tru. Zaela gives a signal and Query steps in front of her.

Momma pulls herself from the stone cliff face with a groan of pain but is far from out. She sniffs the air and snarls at what her daughter is preparing. My Heal Sphere joins Sunny's wish as Tru stands up shakily and starts running back. Sunny follows but stays behind, back to sniping Moonblasts that barely scratch Momma. Every bit helps though.

Momma lowers her massive head into a Dragon Rush and Query refuses to move. The impact is incredible as he grips on with two limbs and hammers Meteor Mashes into Momma. She fires a point blank Dragon Pulse that darkens the light around it and Query makes the harsh call. He switches with Sunny and the pulse washes over her with no effect.

Another Metal Claw comes Sunny's way and we make a mistake. Tru darts in again to counter probably for her last time but Momma was prepared. A Flamethrower that would make a charizard proud covers Tru completely. The Poison Jab she was charging in her other arm makes two team members out in as many seconds. I return them both as Mars descends from Stone Edge Momma fired earlier. He scurried up to slam yet another Dragon Blitz right on the back of her neck.

Without looking a Dragon Tail sends him flying and I scramble for his pokéball as Zaela finishes charging. Draco Meteors rain from the skies and block my view of Mars. Query forces a massive Light Screen into the air and stacks three more with each of his brains. Zaela has to stand still to force Momma to keep from going underground. A snarl of frustration occurs as the Meteors wreck Momma's den with enough force that I'm tossed back five feet. Only my training to take falls with Tru keep me from cracking my head open.

The explosions last for ten seconds and I can hear Momma roaring in pain and displeasure but her voice doesn't fade. The kickback is so violent I almost am grateful I only have one eye to water from the debris. When the dust clears its to Zaela getting ready to charge and a smashed Query on the floor. Momma is bleeding from her side and feet from the meteors but her arms are fading with fighting energy of dual Brick Breaks taking out my metagross. The effort of keeping up the Light Screens through a fully charged Draco Meteor to keep Zaela's dragon attacks in the fight and the two direct hits were too much.

Recalling Query I charge more Heal Spheres as Zaela and Momma trade Dual Chops, Dragon Claws and Slashes. Momma is extremely hurt but while Zaela is almost her mother's height as a gabite there is only so much she can do without her final form's increase in ability.

Then Mars comes _flying_ out of the sky. The pitch black of his scales don't register right away to the two dragons until Zaela spares him a glance of shock. Mars hits with enough force in his Dragon Blitz to cause both himself and Momma to cartwheel along the ground in a snarling, exploding mess. Unused to his wings yet Mars just holds on in a sacrificial move to slam her into yet another boulder that's been displaced by the fight.

My charizard is down. I recall him and toss the last two Heal Spheres at my starter before collapsing to my knees, watching as mother and daughter savage each other. My eyes widen as I see Zaela take the worst of it as if she's weakened greatly. Or distracted. Blow after blow hammers my sister. Not even actual moves but simple clawing. Scales hit the ground so hard it sounds like metal wrenching in a car crash. I'm reminded that with all my aura and foreknowledge any of these attacks would kill me. All I can do is witness.

Then I see what my starter had done. Mud swirls around Momma's feet and foul her footing as Zaela's second Draco Meteor starts. She tanked all that damage to use the move again. Grasping her mother my starter dives into the muddy earth and slams upwards with her head as the meteors crash down on their position.

While not as destructive as the first one, I am still shaken harshly from the impact. Sounds of battle end as I stumble to my feet towards the dust. It takes me a while to get there so most of the fouled air settles. There is enough to make me cough harshly but I ignore it as I come to Momma's massive form. Idly I feel the aura of many of the Den's inhabitants making their way closer. The first Draco Meteor was pretty intense I'll admit.

Momma is out, full of wounds and rent scales. Its easily the worst I've seen her by far. Peering down under I jump back as I sense Zaela struggling out. Her bloodied form pulls out slowly. Our bond tells me she's never been this worn. Its hard to see her barely able to stand but I push that away. That's not what she needs.

Our eyes lock. My sister. We ignore my mother on her oldest dragonite landing at the edge of the destroyed battlefield or the Clan who have fliers gathering in the air above. All we are is each other. My hand moves up to her jaw and I caress it slowly. Its time her heart sings.

Every evolution of my pokémon before this was amazing. Even Mars' whose both I didn't get to see. But they were not King.

Light blinds us all as we witness the birth of something that will conquer legendaries. She's always dwarfed me but my sister outdoes herself this time. Everything streamlines. Claws become swords meant to end all that stands in her way. Her jaw becomes more focused, her teeth serrated. Already thick muscles grow into titanic engines of power. Her head becomes an even more potent weapon capable of crushing anything.

She stands twice the height of a normal Garchomp. Over twelve feet and ready to take on the world she roars so loud its near enough to cause a landslide. I let it wash over me without a care for my strained ears or shaking body. The Clan bears witness to the years of toil, sweat and sacrifice that she and I put ourselves through without hesitation and they cannot say a word.

Our eyes never waver from each other with one thought overriding our aching bodies.

No one is ready for us.

* * *

**Well. Yeah. Three evolutions in one chapter. This is how it was to be though. Ella wanted this to change the world. Power that can stand on par with anything. She's not there yet but she took a big fucking step. Query is a nice guy but he can be particularly spiteful. Steven and Joseph got a bum wrap from him but he's picked up that leaders should own up quick and harshly to get results. **

**Thanks Hannah.**

**Mars evolving so soon was planned too. I mean it when I say he's a genius. While he won't hit Zaela's level perhaps, he's what I imagine a pure charizard should be. Fanatically loyal to an ideal. For most that is just pure strength. Mars wants pure ability. The right key to each problem. Right then it was forcing himself past his limits.**

**Aurora got a little overshadowed by a few things in this chapter but she'll have her chance to make up for it as she explores the world. Her and Ella will share a love of seeing their second world.**

**Finally Zaela. This was planned from the start. The end of childhood and the start of the path to legend. Next chapter is the aftermath and finally setting out. Might take a few days break but honestly it depends. I couldn't stop writing this chapter. **

**Onto the team.**

**_**1- Zaela the King **_****_**Garchomp **_****_**(Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Adamant**_**

**_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, Double Team, Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, Rain Dance, Mud-Slap, Dual Chop, Slash, Dragon Claw, **_****_**Draco Meteor, **_****_**Dragon Rush, Earthquake, **_****_**Stone Edge, **_****_**Crunch**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Furnace (Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit) **_**

**_**Pain Whirl (Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and Rock Slide with a helping of Mud-Slap. Confuse them in a tornado made of giant pain rocks)**_**

**_**Grinder- Earthquake and Earth Power to simultaneously disrupt movement and provide a sharp incline to speed up Dragon Rush and manually activate Stealth Rocks. Rock Slide to subtly hammer Stealth Rocks towards vital points. Very tiring.**_**

**_**Ella's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_**

**_**2- Query the Shiny Meta**_****_**gross**_****_** (Identifies Male)**_**

**_**Ability: Clear Body**_**

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

**_**Moves: Iron Head, Iron Defense, Take Down, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Psych Up, Gravity, Ally Switch, Miracle Eye , Scary Face, Brick Break, Meteor Mash, Agility, Magnet Rise, Return, Reflect, Double Team, Light Screen, **_****_**Rock Smash, **_****_**Hammer Arm. Pursuit, **_****_**Hammer Arm**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Psi-Fist - A method of psychic manipulation of an opponents gravity and self to make critical hits happen. A variety of punches/strikes with heavy but small piercing-like psychic stabs to balance points.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Two- Constant mind/emotion reading to adapt to attack patterns and psychological weaknesses. Low level confusion waves to occlude and disrupt senses and to influence terror or caution depending on level of threat as well as psychological profile. **_****_**Can currently use two dedicated brains for state two. Three deemed too detrimental to combat ability.**_**

**_**3- Truthseeker(Tru) the **_****_**Lucario**_****_** (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Inner Focus, **_****_**Justified**_****_** (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Serious**_**

**_**Moves: Foresight, Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Detect, Cross Chop, Bite, Mind Reader, High Jump Kick, Agility, Vacuum Wave, Crunch, Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash, **_****_**Copycat, Rock Smash, Force Palm, **_****_**Aura Sphere, Heal Pulse, Power-Up Punch, **_****_**Me First, Calm Mind**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Heal Sphere- **_****_**Aura Sphere made with heal pulse energy. Very aura intensive but serves as a long range critical heal.**_**

**_**EMT- Bullet Punch or Me First(Depends on move) to target who is attacking ally. Counter if needed while second hand is using Heal Pulse. High Jump Kick away if Quick Attack is not fast enough. Looking into Substitute, Extremespeed and Quick Guard for increased effectiveness.**_**

**_**4- Sunshine**_****_**(Sunny)**_****_** the **_****_**Sylveon**_****_** (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Cute Charm, **_****_**Pixilate (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

**_**Moves: **_****_**Fake Tears, Tickle, Wish, Yawn, Stored Power, Tackle, Helping Hand, Baby-Doll Eyes, **_****_**Fairy Wind, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, **_****_**Swifty, Moonblast**_****_**, Refresh, Draining Kiss, Light Screen, Misty Terrain, Skill Swap, Reflect, Safeguard, **_****_**Round**_**

**_**Special Moves: Talk no jutsu. Seriously. Okay not seriously. Just couldn't resist the joke.**_**

**_**5- **_****_**Mars the Shiny Char**_****_**izard**_****_** (Male)**_**

**_**Ability: Blaze**_**

**_**Nature: Lonely**_**

**_**Moves: **_****_**Ancient Power, Flare Blitz, Scratch, Ember, Dragon Dance, Air Cutter, Crunch, Bite, Beat Up, **_****_**Dragon Rush, Dragon Pulse, Slash, Fire Fang, Dragon Rage, Flame Burst, Flamethrower, Metal Claw, Smokescreen, **_****_**Wing Attack**_**

**_**Combination Moves(Self Taught): Dragon Blitz-High speed directed attack. A fully boosted by Dragon Dance Flare Blitz combined with a Dragon Rush that can be changed mid attack by using an enforced claw with Slash and Metal Claw **_****_**to dig into nearby surfaces to a new direction**_****_**. **_****_**Wing Attack and Air Cutter to achieve similar effects in air. Steel Wing desired. Double Team to be added for confusion once completely mastered. Possible Beat Up Clones when team exceeds six members.**_**

**_**Smoke Boost- Dragon Dance while setting up favorable terrain with Ancient Power and hoping for more buffs while covered in a Smokescreen. Double Team and Beat Up to be added later.**_**

**_**Firewall- Flame Bursts tossed up high and fed with a directional Air Cutter. Flamethrower added immediately after Flame Burst. **_****_**Able to use without Blaze but cannot sustain it while moving without ability activation. Ancient Power to be added in slowly. Rock Slide an alternative if learnt.**_**

**_**6- Aurora the **_****_**Amaura**_****_** (Female) **_**

_**Abilities: Refrigerate, Snow Warning (Hidden)**_

_**Nature: Modest**_

_****Moves: Powder Snow, Thunder Wave, Haze, Barrier, Mirror Coat, Sandstorm, Hail, Magnet Rise, Discharge, ********Rock Throw, Mist, Icy Wind, Ice Beam, Round, Ancient Power, Aurora Beam, Avalanche****_

_****Combination Moves: Storm Defense: Ability activation, Sandstorm and Barrier. Omni-Directional Discharge if any non-ground types enter the field.****_

**_**7- "Thunderbug" the ? (Male)**_**

**_**Is not actually a bug type. The group just likes to eff with him. Likes entertainment apparently.**_**

**_**8- Joker, Dark one the ? (Male)**_**

**_**Possibly the most dangerous. Also a close friend of Query.**_**

**_**9- **_****_**Angel**_****_** the ? (Female)**_**

**_**Dedicated healer and transportation specialist. No jokes here. She's the best.**_**

**_**10- Ghost Tass the ? (Male)**_**

**_**Not much known. Other than he's got stereotypical ghost ideas. In other words, can be an ass. Also possibly dangerous. But seriously. Ghost. Big duh. But actually isn't all bad! Gotcha! Uses suffering to heal in some way, somehow.**_**

**_**11- Water Maiden the ? (Female)**_**

**_**Tank of some variety. Prideful as fuck.**_**

**_**12- Legend the ? (Female)**_**

**_**Literally a legendary. Seriously. Its happening. Ella's ultimate goal for proof of her path to the world. Loses to Zaela a lot supposedly. For now. Possibly psychic or some mental ability.**_**


	7. Ch 7- Adept and the Future

**Journey at last! There is a bit of aftermath to go over at the start and perhaps Ella feeling very stupid at herself for poor planning that maybe one of her pokémon will help her with! Last chapter, spoilers here if you haven't read it!, showed where they stand. Momma is an ancient dragon who ended her journey at the top and just got stronger.**

**I always viewed dragons who reach a certain level never truly stop becoming more awesome. Perhaps not as fast as if they had a trainer but eh. Ella is going to spill some of her more practical goals here and lots of difficulties she didn't expect. But we're off! So excited. Reviewer response time. **

**frankieu- Yep! Ella doesn't hate the Stones at all. Her mom though… In fact there is more talk with the Stones in the chapter! As to the pokémon professors? Ella might have tossed away a lot of her ideas of this world but she started as a pokémon fan. She chose this world over literally infinite choices. Of course she's going to want to meet them. And remember her mom who probably might maybe be the strongest gym leader currently warned all her fellow leaders years ago. Guess we'll see if they listened. Thanks for the review!**

**Alakrux- The Momma fight was the level I wanted them to hit at the start. This isn't a journey about growth to defeat the league. Its about growth to take out Team Rocket, Magma, Aqua, etc or anything along that level of danger. And to inspire possible Guardians to step up. Ella's inner pokémon maniac might squee at the idea of facing gym leaders but she desperately wants to bear enough strength to make the world better. We'll see if it doesn't break her a bit. Her previous life didn't exactly prepare her for her goal. Mom and Momma tried though. Always a pleasure hearing from you.**

**Blaze2121- Yeah! There was a lot that last chapter. I was seriously considering breaking it up for Aurora but I realized it'll be easier to show her story on the journey. Thanks for reading!**

**Mezzer 5.2- Battles were the most intimidating part of wanting to write the story for me. I'm pretty proud of the Momma fight. It was lots of notes, movesets and frantic ideas of what a Champion level Garchomp would be taught or combos she'd have. Then I realized that she could crush any single one of them with a single move if she hit something super effective. If I thought that? Ella who has fought Momma for years would too. So yay all the fun tactics. Sunny is a joy. She'll have a lot more moments but she'd never let her own issues stop her from stepping up and helping if she's needed. Aurora has the potential to give Zaela a bad day when she evolves. It'll be fun seeing that later. Talked about the Steven bit above but yes. Couldn't resist Query's moment to shine. Glad you liked it!**

**So no seventh team member until next chapter at the earliest and more likely the one after that. So what is the back half of this going to be? From someone else in Ella's life. And not a pokémon either! Onto the story.**

**Disclaimer- I do not own anything pokémon. Just my oc's!**

* * *

Adept

Year One

Okay journal-kun. I'm dating you by the important things. The years I started my team and now by the start of my journey. I'm also buying time because I'm so stupidstupidstupid. Remember way back when when I said we were well off? We are but mom just gave me a savage grin and told me that any money I would have for my journey I should have prepared for. That adversity breeds strength and I should have planned this earlier.

Its not as dramatic as it makes out. I'm positive no random trainer can defeat me if I want to battle for money but its still a kick in the teeth. Mars pointed out something later as possible currency that made me facepalm. I'm just lucky Steven passed me a number before I left Rustboro if I ever found any more fossils. Not exactly what I'm calling him for but I'm sure he'll be happy.

Second stupid idiocy. This one isn't my fault. I have three pokémon who can fly. Query sort of, Mars totally and Zaela. None of them are trained in it. Query is the best off. Meditating before evolution also let him run an absurd number of simulations as to what to expect and he's just working on applying it to combat someday. He's not fast but its pretty intimidating seeing him float towards an opponent.

Mars has it the worst. My black dragon of amazing has been blessed with being exposed to dragon energy from before birth. His dragon attacks outdo some of the Clan in power with similar aged pokémon. Momma's fire is more powerful than the average day fire type. But dragons do not fly with flying energy. They use dragon energy which Mars doesn't to fly. Its all physical strength and yes flying type energy. So my son who has easily mastered every move he's ever known is drunkenly crashing his way about the Clan all day everyday. Because _finally_ he's show the stereotypical single-minded drive of his species. He'll get there eventually but its driving him nuts.

Zaela has it almost as bad. Her early fascination with special moves that she lacks true power in have done a lot to train her for using dragon typing to keep her in the air but her massive body creates some fantastic damage when she crashes. Its not as bad as Mars' issues because that trick where she just dives into the earth like its water? Yeah. Saves her a lot of pain when she doesn't hit a tree. Momma refuses to help now that we've beat her. Says we can do it ourselves. She's also the only garchomp here so we can't ask another for help.

Right. Momma. She's so smug and proud about us. Been actually socializing and smacking the other elders around at what she gave birth to and who she nurtured. Its pretty hilarious and she more or less told me that Zaela is her last child. That its the greatest thing she could ever do so she's happy just being a grandma. I'm….a bit scared what she means by that. The whole issue of me every having kids is not something I'm touching for...Ever. But grandma garchomp? Fuck.

I was planning to do a lot during the roughly year I have till the next conference. Trainers are encouraged to take two years and say, skip one on their journey. There are enough hopefuls to make each year's tournament fun and profitable. We're doing it in one though. Which brings me back to money. Mars saved my ass here. Also mom probably was waiting for me to realize things.

Remember when I had Zaela find Aurora and those two mega stones? As well as some evolutionary items? I maaaay have forgotten to take them to Hoenn. To the Stones. Yeah. Go ahead and laugh at me journal-kun. We also haven't _stopped_ looking for more over the years. No other mega stones but I do indeed have a small fortune in evolutionary items and even some star dust and pearls. The pearls were from Zaela and I swimming with kingdra's dratini babies all those years ago.

Steven got a call then. I'll write it because I enjoyed fucking with him.

Since I know Steven is going to be a Champion I think he deserved my pink, sparkly eyepatch of make Lance's eye twitch. I'm using mom's gym leader video phone. Steven picks up after a couple rings and his eyes focus on my eyepatch immediately with suuuuch confusion. Its the most emotion I've seen him have. My inner dragon is pleased by the treasure this memory will be.

"Why hello there Steven! I've come to offer you a deaaaal. Is everything okay? Is my hair out of place?" I act like I'm fussing with it. Lets see if he has the balls to bring up my eyepatch.

"Uh...Its...Its nice to see you Ella. Of course everything is okay. Just...a flickering image." Oh ho. Going to regret not saying something later. Now I know I can fuck with you this way. "By all means I would enjoy hearing what you have to say."

"Welllllll. Perhaps I should just show you." The Clan is super serious but a few of us have treasure chests as jokes about dragon hordes. So I borrowed one and arranged all my pretties to make them sparkle. After shifting the camera so he can see I make sure to keep my eye on his face. Yes! More shock. "I've been gathering these for a long while. Water stones, a few thunder stones….Prism Scales and usable Dragon Scales."

Already I can see him mentally drooling. I go for the jugular. "Some of them from an ancient Champion level garchomp that birthed mine." His eyes snap up at news that my insanely large gabite probably evolved. "But I think what you might be interested in studying is this."

Taking a bag I've kept safe I pull out the two mega stones. Here's the thing. I had Professor Oak see what they were. I sadly can't use either buuuuut I am planning to see if I can get a trade. Also, mega evolution is know but much like fairy types and fossil types its quite, quite rare. Only a few trainers in the world have it available. I'm sensing my boon of Destiny here. And despite how I _know_ this is going to lead to more danger later I can't help but push forward.

Steven's eyes glitter at the helix pattern of the stones. "I see. Do-do you know who they belong to?"

Amusement tinges my voice as I idly pick one up. "This one is for gyarados. Mmhmm. As if they weren't scary enough." Now to make Steven my most willing slave.

"This one though...Is for a Scizor." This one makes a bit of sense. Swarms pass here at times of a lot of scyther and the occasional scizor. The elders tell me its sort of a tradition to enjoy fighting against another species that are know to like throwing down. Steven's breath catches and I can't help but dangle them a bit and watch his eyes follow.

"So my deal is this. Buy off most of these stones. The scales for a key stone. I've already put aside what I'm keeping." Mostly for Clair and a future teammate. "And we can trade the mega stones for any you might have for my team. Or one I'm particularly interested in later." Steven's eyes snap up and he visibly gulps and struggles to get his mind back into place. I'm merciful. I let him have his time.

Eventually he nods shortly. "I'm sending you a list of ones I have that I'm willing to part with. Give me a day and I might have one I can possibly get you before the end of the year." I imagine that he must have spares if he's interested in trading for the gyaradosite. Or that its for such a powerful pokémon. "Tomorrow then Steven!"

Hastily, he signed off and I leaned back in satisfaction. Maybe I need to find Cynthia so I can prank all my favorite Champions.

No spoilers journal-kun. I got a stone for teammate number nine and one of my current team. Since I have four capable of mega evolution well...I guess you'll have to wait and see. One of them is one that Steven won't be able to get until later this year though. Thank you Mars for planning ahead.

I've delayed it long enough but one last thing before the start of the journey. The Clan looks at me and Zaela with reverence. I want to be globally recognized eventually to help my planned Guardians. But this is more. It makes me glad we're leaving until I can wrap my head around it. No single elder has defeated Momma since she arrived. The only pokémon we know has fought her to a standstill or bested her is Zaela's charizard sire. Between that and how much presence Zaela now gives when she's ready to fight?

Well they look at me deeply. I get bowed to. I get it. I describe it all the time. The Clan are dragons. Dragons respect strength more than anything. We've proven ourselves to them. Its just weird. I guess I'll grow into it.

Time for last packing and early sleep. Got a few goodbyes to say early tomorrow. Back after we reach our first destination.

A few days later

The goodbye were hard but pleasant. Momma was the easiest. She wasn't going to miss us. Not because she didn't care but because she knows we're going to take on the world like she did so many years ago.

Dad was...Odd. Still growing apart but he looked proud and slipped me the prototype pokédex he's been working on for ages. Its basically what Ash will use in ten years if a lot bulkier. I'm going to be keeping it in my expanded storage backpack.

Joy and Becca. This was pretty hard. Harsh training for six years? I knew them well. Crying began here. The twins are old enough to know me now and were confused as to what was going on. Promises of writing and such were given. Joy's lucario just smiled at me and gave me the deepest bow I've seen her give. No words.

Then Mom. We're so alike. I might get physical aspects from Dad and I suppose his drive to figure out a problem, even if I don't let it consume me but mom is where I get my will. The middle finger to the world. Daring it to stop me. Once she was convinced I could bear it she drove me into the ground to make me strong as much as Momma did. Because she knows my goal isn't just the league. That's barely the first step.

"Daughter. I will look for you to come to me with seven badges. Won over my fellow leaders' main teams. Do your best. I will be training to face you." I can't beat mom's team yet. I've gotten a few of them down but she's the dragon gym leader for a reason. I have a year away from her to reach another goal that most would find impossible for me.

"Mother. I will be here. I love you." At that her persona fades and its just my mother. The one who is vindictive for me. Who takes me to spas and lets me rant endlessly about my beloved team. Who I'm going to miss so much. The hug we give each other is desperate and lasts minutes. Finally we both ignore the tears we're staining each other with and step back. The biggest smile I've ever seen her wear sends me off as I take her one gift to me for my journey besides all her many years of raising me.

In a flash I'm in New Bark Town. The alakazam she loaned me to start wherever I wished nods and teleports away leaving me alone and someplace I've never been. It may have taken me a while to compose myself.

Back on track. Professor Elm isn't yet the regional Professor here. I knew that coming to this world early might not give me as big an advantage in knowledge as I would have in ten years when Ash starts his journey, but gaining the power to affect the events I do know will happen then required me to come sooner. I wonder if Ash is just now being born? I never learned his birthday.

I released Tru and Sunny. While I want all my team to journey with me as we go its probably best to keep the giant garchomp and two shinies out of sight through cities. Aurora moves at a rather slow pace and wouldn't appreciate keeping up with me until she's evolved. Sunny squeals of course now that we're out someplace new and I have to tell her not to move too far away. Tru simply gives me an amused look and steps in line.

Tru and I are content to be silent with each other. We're on the path we both dreamed of finally. New Bark Town and really, any of the cities are of course much larger than in the games. I wasn't expecting anything huge and it isn't. The people here look happy and give me a pretty interested look. I'm still in my leather clothing, this time in lighter blue and white, matching Aurora's colors today. My eyepatch is the deep blue of Zaela's hide and my hair is up in the severe bun that mom is known for. She asked me not to dye it black when I considered and I've relented. I guess she likes how it looks.

I've been studying maps for the last year to know more or less where I am going but I do flag down a random passerby to get directions to the lab. The young lady gives me a smile as Sunny is dancing around me and poking me with her ribbons because she's so excited and has to share it. Tru simply observes everyone walking around, fascinated by new aura signatures. Once we're directed I do my best to entertain my sylveon for the ten or so minutes it takes to get to the lab.

Its set a bit into some trees and has a large backyard. Nothing anywhere near the Oak ranch but big enough to deal with a fair number of pokémon. I spot a few of the regional starters and even some larger species and wonder idly if there are psychic defenders hidden about. Likely. Entering the building I look about the place. Its not as high tech looking as Samuel's lab but its got a rustic sort of warmth to it. A bell is at the front desk that I ring. Sunny is hopping up and down on a nearby chair while Tru sits down on the floor and closes her eyes, searching out the aura of the pokémon within the lab.

Professor Redwood is a grizzled old man. I've been a bit warned about him by my mother. That he suffers no fools and would make a good dragon trainer. Pretty sure when Professor Elm takes over in the next few years aspiring trainers will be a lot happier. Balding and looking as if he'd be at home brawling machoke, the grey haired man looks over my pokémon first. Which I appreciate. That's who he should focus on. I stay silent and put on my bitch face. I'm pleased to say his eyes wince just the tiniest bit at my missing eye.

Treat him like the Clan, that's what I'll do. "Alright kid. You here for what? Not a starter. You got pokémon here. Registration for the league is in Cherrygrove. So what is it?" His voice fits him perfect. His name too really. Redwood. Strong and impenetrable. And old. Heh.

"I thought I'd introduce myself and give you a chance to study my team. Professor Oak said you'd like the chance last I talked to him." I'll go over them in a minute but this is one of the three major goals I have until I defeat a sitting Champion. Well its a goal forever really but it starts here.

One eyebrow raises as he sucks on his lip as if he's got something sour in his mouth. "Oh? Sammy-boy said so? Fine. Come in the back and lets see them. Name?" The words aren't leaving his mouth as he walks back into his lab. He wears the typical Pokémon Professor garb as I follow. Sunny runs up and walks beside him. To his credit he just puts his hand out for her to touch with a ribbon. She delights in it and I smile as she begins to jabber at him,

Its hard for her to remember that I'm a rare human who can understand her. We did spend most of her life with only other pokémon. "Ella Mita of Blackthorn." Yep. He misses a step and looks back over his shoulder with almost a glare. Tru doesn't react so he's not angry at me. Maybe he doesn't like surprises.

"Hn. I see. This way then." Changing course he moves instead towards where I saw his back yard. Its odd to me that there are no lab assistants here. I could send out my senses but I've been working for the last half year on a goal with my aura that takes up all my concentration on it. Thus Tru walks with me everywhere as a sensor.

We exit the building, Sunny still idly telling him about how excited she is and that he's even older than Oaky. I doubt he's getting any of it but Sunny seems happy so who cares? Leading me to a rather large clearing that perhaps the pokémon here use to practice battle he grunts and waves his giant hand as if inviting me.

Shrugging I let my family free. Query doesn't even hit the ground but hovers like a flying crab as he immediately starts to gaze around where we are at. Zaela hits the ground with a shaking thump. Since she's evolved she's been struggling to regain her silent footsteps on earth. She curls her lip at Professor Redwood and starts to sniff the air, wondering if any worthy opponents live here.

Mars just calmly peers about and moves to talk with Tru. They've been talking about long term goals for my training. Yeah. Mars is that dedicated to his place in the group. Sunny jabs her ribbons at each of our family, ending with Aurora who immediately went to some shade and started whirling a bit of light snow about herself. She really needs more resistance training.

But yes. Sunny is introducing my team for me. Redwood just stares for a while. There is no visible sign of his interest but again to his credit he simply listens to Sunny and nods along as if he understands.

"Right. I'll thank Sammy-boy later. Oy. I get it girl. They're great." Patting Sunny's head idly he goes about to examine my family closer after looking my way. Yeah. The regional Professors are no dummies. I nod my permission and he tugs out a simple pen and paper. No questions get asked as he goes through them one by one.

Query spends a long while talking to him, finally able to telepathically converse to anyone he should like. Sunny trails for a while but then goes to keep Aurora company, not caring if she gets cold because of it.

The examination takes the better part of an hour and I imitate Tru and sit cross legged to meditate. Samuel said to trust this man and that's good enough for me. Time fades until a cough brings me out of it.

"Alright. They're amazing. But you knew that. Why are you really here?" Snapping my good eye open I let a smirk grow as I stand. The Professor is a bit wary, as I'm not acting at all like the ten year old girl I look like. I never really hid my maturity and I won't start now.

"This." My hand moves up. I break my concentration on my aura project and let it flow into my hand, a Heal Sphere forming as I toss it at Aurora who croons and Mirror Coats it at Tru. She catches it and crushes it in a nifty display we've been playing around with. That basically is double powered Heal Sphere aoe. Not ready for use but soon. I think I have a problem. The dazed look on Redwood's face is deeply satisfying.

"I've used aura since I could remember." In this life anyway. "And it can do amazing things. Some you might know of but what I really, truly wish...Is to build something of those who can use this same energy. Or have the same ideals legends of Aura Guardians have. To protect pokémon and people. To combat disasters and whatever comes about."

The age of Team dickheads isn't here yet. There is criminal activity certainly but nothing too widespread yet. Redwood just looks at me, judging how serious I am. My single eye just stares right back. "Fine. You got the drive. Again, what do you want from me?"

Smiling a bit more easily I nod back at his lab. "A lot of new trainers come through here to get starters from you. Or if they get some privately like I did, to set this place up where they send their pokémon. You've been doing this for twenty seven years. How many people do you know? How many can you remember who might follow my dream?"

Professor Oak is on board to at least tell me of people he'd think I could convince. I'm going to try and get every regional Professor to follow his example. Redwood just continues to stare at me. Then at Zaela. At my King. His gaze moves to Query who has managed to get some of the lab pokémon to join him in a game of tic tac toe, or at least trying to teach them. To the amaura he probably will have to research later to even know what she is and my sylveon who is so friendly it must cause stomach aches because of the sweetness. To Mars, who looks like he's making a diagram with a stick in the dirt and stroking his jaw. He picked that habit up from Professor Oak.

And finally to Tru. The lucario who is watching us with a steady gaze. To her Aura partner.

"Damnit. More work. Fine. Give me your trainer id and I'll send along names once I have time to think. You need a ranch for these all?" Yeah I like this guy.

"No. I'm likely not going to send any back but if I do Professor Oak has set me up for his lab." Redwood just grunts and lets out some muttering about uppity former pupils.

"Fine. I'm busier now thanks to you so get. You won't stay here long enough to let me study your team. You got that look. To be getting into trouble. So go to it. You know the way out." The man just sighs and moves to wave goodbye to Sunny. She jumps up and runs around him a few times and waves madly as I recall all but her and Tru once more.

Goal one. Find future allies. Two is strength. That'll happen in time. Third is to change things now if I can. At least some things.

A good start.

On the road.

After New Bark we head towards Cherrygrove. Its not hard and everything and their mother stays away from me. I let all but Aurora out to help train themselves. Its flying for Zaela, Query and Mars and I despair at how awkward they look. Arceus forbid Redwood saw this. Many crashes later we register for the league. Meeting another Joy was weird. I _knew_ they all looked like each other but it was super difficult not hugging her and asking how Becca was.

They're just that similar. None of my group need healing. We're used to recovering off of berries and we can never have enough healing practice for myself and Tru. The routes are weird. There are the usual names but also say. Route 32a or some and such. I passed by Castallia Town between New Bark and Cherrygrove which I _think_ was in the anime? Its hard to remember it all. Whatever the case nothing really exciting happened on the way to Violet City where I had a lot of plans. A lot. Charicific Valley is near there. Of course I'm visiting.

Okay so trainers are everywhere. I mostly let Aurora battle as everyone else would just...Murder the opposition. At least at the start. One nifty thing happened I'll share.

Sighing, I accepted the cash the bug trainer looking guy with a wince. He looks pretty down and I can understand why. Aurora two shot his first pokémon and one shot the next with ancient power. Bugs. Yaaaay. The poor guy walks away and I am very worried I won't find worthy goals for my team save for the gym leaders. I guess it just means Mars and I will have to come up with creative training once all the flying idiots have it down.

Its another few hours and another trainer, this time a girl about my age in sporty clothing comes up to me. Tru and Sunny are the only two of my team visible. Distant crashes tell me Mars, Zaela and Query are working hard.

"Oh my god. You totally have to battle with me! I've never seen a sylveon and would looooove to see what they can do!" The girl is bright and Tru just looks bored so its nice to see someone earnest in their admiration. Despite not being a prideful girl, Sunny beams at the trainer and dances a bit in short hops. I glance at her and she gives me a bright smile and I shrug.

"Sure. She normally doesn't like it but why not?" I'm wincing inside as even if Sunny looks innocent she's about the same ability as Tru, who is no slouch. The girl runs back a bit to a good distance and tosses out a pokémon. A graveller of all things pops out and my eyebrow raises. Huh. She didn't even react to my eyepatch. Okay. I'm definitely learning her name.

"Hey. My name's Ella. You?"

"Marie! Let's go!"

Chuckling I just nod Sunny ahead and she playfully 'grrs' (read: 'syylll!') at the graveller. Marie starts shouting commands while I do not. My team has long ago learned to fight without my verbal orders. If I do say something its because I see something they may not or have a plan. Otherwise they have priority lists or situational tactics.

The Rollout approaching Sunny is fast and has some skill as the rocky pokémon has a bit of a shine to it. Sunny waits patiently, her butt wagging with anticipation and pushes up a Reflect at the last second. Sunny must have noticed the gender of the graveller as he immediately stops and makes bashful motions with his four arms. Yep. Attract.

What follows is pretty hilarious. Sunny plays tag with him. Anytime Rollout occurs she just lets herself get hit and back to Attract. Her personal charisma is so high that I shouldn't be surprised. Once she takes a bit of damage that's uncomfortable she uses Wish and there it goes. Marie and I stare at this for five or so minutes and she just returns her graveller. Any order she gave got ignored.

"So uhm. I guess that's how Sunny fights?" A weak grin of mine followed.

"That was amazing! She's such a good girl!" …..Of course Sunny wins over the trainer she just destroyed without any actual attack.

So yeah. Now that Sunny knows she can play in battles she's a lot more wiling to fight. This left a long trail of confused trainers until we hit Violet City. I may have found this so funny I had Aurora take all the females so Sunny could leave broken hearted male pokémon in her wake. She's not at all at the age to know what mating means so she just was sad so many friends got left behind.

Violet City

Maybe I'm going to ignore time and just say where we are at. Hrm. Things to consider. I'm mostly ignoring the anime extra cities except for a few stand outs. I'm not sure if the safari zone is active yet, never asked, but when we get there I'm going to look around. Violet City is interesting. I spent about a week outside of it to finish up flying practice. Mars was predictably the first to master it. He spent two days walking with me staring at his wings and using wing attack constantly. The next day he was doing barrel rolls. Zaela's face was amazing.

Query will never be a speedster in the air. Even boosted with agility. But he does have amazing zone control with all the reflects and light screens. Interesting potential there. Zaela still more or less shoves herself in directions but she is _very_ fast. And as a King, her draconic energy leaks enough that I can feel it even without my aura senses. That's actually a bit of a weakness we're working on. She needs to condense that. Its how Momma could lay out my team in one strike if we didn't blunt it. Her full power in one attack every attack.

Falkner isn't gym leader yet. Still probably seven or so years? Five? Not sure how old he is. Each city in Johto is the same type as in the anime/game though. The flying leader here is name Mace, don't call me Macey, Marble. I was warned by the Nurse Joy here. Mom has told me about her as well. Says I should watch out for her pidgeot. Even if we go against her main team I don't expect it to be more than three on three. I'm fine with that for now. Bigger matches will come in time.

The Gym as I come up is the same as the anime. The city is pretty large and full of buildings but I'm a tad concerned we'll break something. Shrugging, I enter and look around. A woman sits behind a desk typing things and I approach. As usually Sunny and Tru follow along. The woman opens her mouth to greet me and then blanks a bit at my one-eyed face then at the lucario next to me.

"You're Ella Mita?" Hmm. I don't think I'm famous yet. I nod regardless.

"Mace will be with you after her latest challenger." Now I was really confused. Didn't I have gym trainers to thrash?

Directed to wait after passing over my pokédex briefly to ID myself I wait about for maybe twenty minutes, Sunny napping in my lap. Maybe this is mom's doing? Note, I haven't used my pokédex for anything but note taking. I already know every pokémon I've met. Eventually a ding sounds and the receptionist waves me through the big doors. A kid about my age with a grin and a tightly clutched fist means the challenger probably just got his first badge.

Gazing up the massive circular interior is pretty amazing actually. Two giant platforms sit across from each other across the usual outline of a pokémon battlefield. Walking towards me is a rather slender woman with a plain face but the biggest grin I've seen in a while. She's excited.

"You've got none of her coloring but that look is _all_ Hannah. Mace Marble." I'm pleased to shake her hand and feel how rough it is. She works with her team. "I've been waiting a while for you. Come on. Lets get to it."

"Good to meet you too. But...Don't I have to face a bunch of gym trainer's first?" Pretty sure this is mom's doing but still quite curious for confirmation.

"You'd just tear them up. They are mostly to make sure some idiot doesn't have a pokémon they can't control or if they need to train more. I trust Hannah." Her eyes twinkle. "Not all the gym leaders believe her. Not all of us came to see that one fight of yours with Lance. I would enjoy hearing what you do to them."

Yeah. Okay. I love this lady. But she's right, we should get to it. You always learn a lot more about people from the way they fight. "Right then. I'm going over here?" She nods as I head to the lift. Up we go, staring across from each other and I feel that sensation again. My goals might be to help people but battling is just as fun as I imagined it could be.

A ref makes their way to the center and those sweet words come out. "This is a battle between Ella Mita of Blackthorn and Gym Leader Mace Marble. It will be a three on three match. Only the challenger may substitute. Begin!"

I know my first choice and Aurora appears below with a slow croon. Mace's eyes widen in confusion as a wicked looking Fearow flies about above. This is good for me. I don't recall fearow having many long range moves. Mace is heavily thinking and her fearow is well trained. Well if she lets me have the first move….

"Aurora, Storm Defense and fire at will." New as she is to the team, my family is made of powerhouses who excel in controlling space. And fighting daily with them has brought Aurora up to almost at their level. Hail and Sandstorm explode into the air. Fearow lets out a squawk and moves up out of the range but Aurora used Refrigerate to make her Snow Warning Hail extra painful. Already I saw a bit of ice coating fearow's wings. Mace's eyes narrow and she whistles shrilly.

Fearow's body glows in some sort of boosting. Likely Agility or Focus Energy. Probably both. In addition the burly avian kicks up a tailwind and starts to try and blow away the obstruction. It isn't enough as an Ice Beam snipes along its side. Aurora trains against Zaela most. And Zaela loves her Sandstorm. Its easy for Aurora to see through the mess she's created.

Making a snap decision Mace whistles a different tune and fearow dives, beak glowing in a Drill Run. The speed is impressive and if it hits I'd be a tad worried if not for what Aurora is supposed to do if someone enters her territory. Fearow dives in and a rather painful screech occurs after a mean sounding crack of rock. Fearow is tossed out of the Storm Defense with its wings fouled and struggling to get back in the air. The rest of the Ancient Power rocks Aurora hid hovering in her territory shoot out and batter fearow until a beam of red light returns it.

"Well damn. Fearow was a poor match up for your whatever the hell that is. Ice something?" I just grin as Aurora lets her storm defense fade with a pant. I return her too. She can't yet keep that up for very long. If I need her again at least she'll get a nice rest. "Fine. Lets get something more painful for you to deal with."

A pelipepper pops out and immediately rain kicks up, swirling about the area as I blink. Shit. Aurora would be the best for this but she's too tired. Tru doesn't have any moves to get within range and stay there. Mars isn't yet up to dealing with a rain dance boost and Sunny doesn't have the power yet to blast that tank of a bird. Lack of electric attacks is biting me in the butt. Mace just grins as if she knows what I'm thinking. Either Query or Zaela. That it could know some ice moves makes my decision.

Query appears with a content hum and he sends out pleased greetings to the pelipper and her trainer. Then he starts channeling agility and stomps his way forward to leap into the air, Magnet Rise active as he starts to pull Gravity at the bulky, but slow bird. Pelipper smacks him with water pulses that he does his best to defend with Light Screens. One brain maintains the Magnet Rise, the second the now increasing Gravity and the third Agility that is already blurring his form in the rain. It hits him with loud clinks as peilipepper surrounds itself with Mist. The bird's body glows repeatedly with Stockpile. That's a mistake.

Query is not fooled by the mist but is getting quite battered as his lack of speed in the air hurts him. Luckily pelipper are not the fastest of fliers. Things will end dramatically if Query can get in close. Pelipper opens it smouth to Spit Up but in probably one of my favorite moves Query uses Psych Up to copy the stockpile and much more easily tanks the hit.

Mace's water bird tries to escape but Query is at max Agility already and enters melee range finally. I'm almost tempted to gloss over what happens. Ever since we fought Steven Query has been non-stop training his second stage of Psi-Fist. Its mastered now. It doesn't work against foes who are too far above Query but this pelipepper is another deal. It probably heals in the rain so damage must be swift and quick to take it out. Eventually when Query gets Thunderpunch this would be easy.

Remember that he and Tru were working on changing attack types mid-swing? Query has a few punchimg moves but they are mostly steel and fighting. Both of which are not particularly good against pelipepper. Instead he channels a move that makes me sniffle. Entering range Query starts what I would imagine will make him famous. Stage Two activates and confusion waves start assaulting the senses of the bird, the rain actually aiding it a bit by bouncing the rays around. Bullet Punch starts up to attach her wings and each and every punch changes to the normal energy of Return.

If I were a dragon that Query were romantically interested in the affection based beat down he gives to the poor bird would have me _very_ flattered. As it is I have to hide my expression. The damage is extreme and pelipepper falls, returned before she hits the ground.

Query lands with a small noise of satisfaction and returns himself for rest. Stage Two takes a lot out of him and he knows I'd want someone else to take on the last pokémon.

"Alright. That was incredible. Not even sure what that was. Not gonna lie. You're everything your mom said you'd be. Right. Here's my starter. Best be prepared." The pidgeot she releases is huge, but its the way he moves through the air that has me worried. Precise control with so little wing movement as he watches the battlefield. Is this the bird that inspires Falkner's pidgeot? Zaela or Mars? Zaela has speed but little agility so far. Mars then.

My shiny charizard comes onto the field with serious eyes and none of the roaring Zaela would give. Mace looks like she's envious and fascinated at the same time. I say nothing to Mars. Its likely he'll come up with a better strategy than I.

Pidgeot near vanishes with speed. I'm not sure if its agility or just its natural aspect but my charizard is hit twice with wing attacks before he can move. Not panicking he takes to the sky and burns away at something I don't understand until I see pidgeot slow just a bit. He's reducing her possible Tailwind. I recognize the glow from him as he shifts in the air, dragon dance moving along.

Pidgeot kicks up a massive amount of sand and shoves it into a Twister she sends at Mars who pulls a trick he hasn't shown me yet. A massive boulder raise to block him from the attack as he dives near the ground. He concentrated all of Ancient Power into one rock. Pidgeot makes a sound of annoyance and flies upwards, whirling up wind like mad and sniping down with shearing Gusts that begin to shatter Mars' cover.

He doesn't care, even if the rocks are pelting his form. Dragon Dance is done and he snaps his wings hard enough to shake my stand. Pidgeot spins about to dodge but Mars' Dragon Blitz shocks him with its speed. He detonated the Flare Blitz aspect behind him to drive the Dragon Rush into her faster. Shrieking in pain pidgeot flees or so it appears but instead uses Feint Attack, the dark energy hitting my charizard in the back and pushing him around.

It definitely looks like an anime fight as pidgeot seems to multiply and each and every attack tosses Mars about in the air like a ragdoll. Quick Attacks followed by Wing Attacks and Steel Wings toss him about as he can't keep up with pidgeot's sheer mastery of the air. I'm about to recall him until his tail burns blue. Mars always has a plan.

Showing that he's been faking his speed his claws lash out and grab pidgeot in a hold. He's been analyzing his attack pattern to best find a way to get his hands on the giant bird. Rather than a point blank attack he uses Firewall. Tossing Flame Bursts above him he twists pidgeot around so the bird is pointing at the steadily falling fireballs. Pidgeot is about to free himself until a snap of Mars' tail snaps out falling Beat Up clones and we're treated to the sight of my entire team wrecking Mace's starter. A blaze fueled Flamethrower at point blank is just icing as we lose sight of them both from the Flame Bursts hitting their position.

Heat washes down over us as moments later both our pokémon fall from the sky. I return Mars just as Mace does the same with her pidgeot. Whispering a good job to his premier ball I grin across at the Gym Leader I've just beaten. An answering smile is my reward as we make our way down to each other.

"Yeah. That was fun. Your charizard is particularly amazing. You must have trained him to the bone to be so clever." Mace hands me a Zephyr badge.

"Actually he more or less trains himself with moves. I only help with inspiration and stamina training." Really. I don't have to do anything with Mars other than be his mom. Which is perfectly fine with me.

"...huh. Well. I'm going to go get everyone all healed up. If you wanna get dinner I'd love to pick your brain about the fight." Mace and I will get along just fine. Leaving the gym is amazing. I've done it. I'm in a pokémon world and earned a badge.

Mars was fine and dinner with Mace let me tell her my spiel about my goal in life. She admitted that she wasn't overly interested in my Order but that if I ever got some fliers that needed training she adores working with them. About the best I could hope for really.

Mars took his tie with grace but his eyes were particularly intense. Not because of getting knocked out. He probably predicted it would happen. Or even that Mace turned into a rabid fangirl when I let him out for her to examine. That he accepted with grace.

No, its our next destination. Where his egg was from.

Charicific Valley

Again I'm overwhelmed by how much different this place is than the show. Its like when I visited the grand canyon in my first life. Except much hotter. Walking up to the entrance, seeing the giant charizard embedded in the jagged cliff face? Humbled. Mars carries me. Its a bit nerve wracking but I trust him. We make sure to go around until we see the lone building in the valley and set down with an easy landing. How could I doubt him?

By the way, once I got over my fear? Flying with him is amazing. I can only imagine what it will be like with Zaela once she's gotten it down. A man comes out of the hut almost immediately followed with a girl around my age with greenish hair. The man, who has a deeper green color to his hair stares over Mars with an admiring look and then approaches. Liza, it has to be her, just waits near the door and pretty much gapes at Mars.

"Well. Howdy. Who are you? And him?" He's friendly enough and he can't help but keep looking over at Mars. My single eye disconcerts him a bit though I don't let myself show that I notice. We passed over some larger buildings a while back that I expect is the breeding center.

Mars snorts and moves to examine Liza who, showing she knows he's not going to snap at her, moves forward to peer up at him. "That's Mars. I'm Ella Mita. Professor Oak gave me his egg a few years ago and told me he came from here. I promised him we'd visit when we started our journey."

The man, still unnamed, just nods at that as he watches his daughter (I think) get Mars to show her his claws. Again his eyes go to my patch which is Mars' colors today. Deep red and black. "No, he didn't claw my eye out. Now who are you caretaker?" I might be a bit irritated when people stare at me that way. Plus he's being rude and not saying his own name.

"Oh! Sorry. Name's Nate. That's my daughter Liza and yes, you are right. I am the caretaker. Glad you could make the journey. Not sure who your Mars' sire and dame are but you're welcome to visit so long as you follow a few rules. One, no other pokémon save your charizard in the valley proper. Two, no catching anything. Not that I expect you'd want to with Mars here." He can't quite keep the awe out of his voice as he gazes over my fire lizard. "Third, it would be best if you want to explore to have your Mars fight one of the folks here. So they know where he stands. Of course if he does well they'll probably want to fight him anyway. At least this way ones way away from his level will know not to try anything."

Mars just chuffs as if he expected it. He's not speaking right now. His senses are all over the place and I get the feeling that there is something here he's searching for. And not his family from the way he's gazing over the landscape with particular interest.

"What about a dragon? My starter is a garchomp and she would adore fighting here." Nate's eyes widen and Liza snaps her head around to look at me even as she keeps rubbing Mars' side now. If his low hum is anything to go by it must feel good.

"Dragon you say...Hrm. I reckon that might be fine if you don't mind some of them challenging her. Sure. But best keep her close to here." Nodding I grin a bit and finally I can't handle the curiosity.

"Alright Mars. I know you've wanted to come here for ages but what gives? Its not family. You didn't care at all about the breeding center we passed." Mars' eyes lighten a bit and he nods at my words.

"_Mega stones tend to form around places that the species congregate do they not? I want to see if you can feel one here. Its a pity we can't have Tru join us."_ I blink once. Twice. Damnit. Why didn't I think of that?

"Well you're smarter than I am."

Liza tilts her head. "What's a mega stone?"

More blinking as I stare at her. "Wait, you can understand him?" Nate groans a bit at that as I'm letting my control fade so I can feel Liza's aura. Its been a looooong time since I saw the anime. I remember her being good with charizard to an insane degree but understanding them? Oh. Yep. She's got aura. And quite a lot.

My hand lights up with aura as Nate tries to run damage control. "I have a lucario. Aura is what your daughter has and it is quite strong. I bet all these beasties adore her and drive you nuts with what they offer to let her do."

Nate's expression is slack with shock and I simply smile at Liza who doesn't know what the hell I'm talking about.

"Aura is lifeforce. It can do a lot of things. Many pokémon shape it in different ways that aren't readily visible except the riolu line as an example. A few others. It lets you feel and project emotions. Its almost impossible to lie to a lucario because of this., I'm of the rare few humans that can use it. And so can you."

Liza looks at me as if her whole world makes sense now. I can see her eyes looking past me to past events she can't explain. Nate is deathly quiet and just keeps on staring at me as I wave away my display.

"The coolest thing in my opinion is that it lets me talk to any pokémon I want. And they can talk back. You apparently can do that with charizard at the very least. Very impressive." It really is. I had a lot of help with my aura. And maturity of thought.

Liza stares at me with a pleading expression. "How do I learn more? Or control this? Sometimes its hard to feel them fighting. There's a lot of anger."

Okay, slight wince at that. That would suck having to feel charizard anger all day every day. "Meditation helps a lot. A quiet place to focus on your aura. I can help you feel it but as for training? You'd have to travel with me or say, find a riolu who would agree to be your partner. Perhaps a togepi. They grow up into aura users too. Not as potent as riolu and you wouldn't get training right away."

Liza's face falls and Nate finally speaks up. "Liza never really wanted to travel despite her issues here but I don't know where we might find a riolu...Where do you come from and how do you know this? You can't be much older than her."

My grin turns feral and he gulps just a bit. This is mom's expression. "Ella Mita of Blackthorn. Daughter of Hannah Mita, the Gym Leader of Blackthorn. And as I've said, I've used aura as far back as I can remember. My mother has ties to Rota and got them to find me a riolu. If you like I can ask them to come and test Liza. It is their duty and if they find her worthy its likely they'll find her a partner. Though you'd have to have Liza train away from here if the charizard wouldn't accept her partner."

Hope goes across both their faces at my offer then a slight frown as they think of the inhabitants of the valley. "Well. Yes to the offer. Please. I'd be beyond grateful. As to the charizard...Perhaps I can get mine to knock some heads in if they know its for Liza. Regardless, I don't know how to thank you for this if it works."

Mars just coughs delicately and I laugh at that. "Well, back to mega stones..."

A few hours later has us flying about the valley with the agreement that if we found a mega stone we could have it. Its not as if they knew they were here and really they were quite grateful. Turns out Mars didn't have to fight anyone once I released Zaela. She destroyed the laziest of the charizard by dragging him into her territory and there is currently a line waiting to face her.

I'd describe the battle but honestly it wasn't anything special. Nate said that if I came back in a few hours the tougher charizards would be up in the list. Liza is making sure Zaela gets rests and scolding the fire lizards who get too impatient. It was hilarious.

Mars is at home here. I can tell. My son will never want to be away from me but I can see why this place speaks to him,. Rugged terrain with a low heat is perfect for his kind. A few charizard call out in curiosity towards us. They don't attack as we wouldn't have gotten this far without permission but I am still a bit iffy about their looks.

Another instance where my project has to be put on hold. Aura leaves me in droves as I try to find the feel of the mega stones I had from before. It takes two trips back and forth until I get a ping. I direct Mars to what looks like the side of a dormant volcano that is roughly in the center of the valley. I _really_ don't want to go to the other side as I feel an elder charizard I'm almost positive is Zaela's sire. It rivals Momma in strength.

Mars digs in, using Ancient Power and Dragon Claw powered Slashes as we dig in. I hop off to a nearby outcropping and try not to let the height or heat get to me. About forty minutes later I have him halt and do my best to crawl in. Taking a chisel and hammer I borrowed from Nate I do the rest. The helix symbol I find pleases me quite a bit. Steven promised me a key stone for Momma's scales and now he has to deliver the second I reach the next city.

Patting Mars' fondly I hop on and we take the long way around the elder's home. I'm sure he sensed us but he also felt very, very lazy. Someday we're coming back so Zaela can say hi with her claws. She doesn't like that he never came to see her. Even if only to test her.

Dirty and worn out we set down at the clearing set up for visiting charizard trainers to have their fire lizards tested and allowed into the valley. Zaela is beat up but very, very happy. And she has a lot of fans. Its a bit disturbing seeing scarred, massive pseudo-dragons look at her with heart eyes. Or at least that's what it feels like.

Zaela of course eats it up and turns to Mars as if she expects him to do the same. Considering there are seven obviously beat up opponents getting care from Nate? Well she's quite put out when he simply returns himself with a yawn. Lazy boy.

"Find what you were looking for?" Liza moves over to sit next to me on a rock, watching her dad deal with angry lizards.

"Sure did. Can't use it quite yet but someday I'll show you what it can do. When you go to a city next go look up mega-charizard." How she doesn't know about the I don't understand. Nate knew from when we talked about mega-stones. Eh. I'm not that curious.

"That sounds cool! I will. Are you going to stay the night?" Oh. She probably is starved for attention from people her own age. Sure. Why not? "Sure. Though I think I'll return Zaela after her next battle. I'd prefer a good bath and not have to worry about her." Zaela just snorts at that as her next opponent steps up.

My starter is worn but we trained daily all day for years. This charizard is a bit older, perhaps six and a half feet tall and has an impressive number of scars. Huffing in amusement my sister is covered in thick sand as her storm shoots up to try and cover charizard. He just springs into the air faster than Mars can get off the ground and she intensifies her terrain while he starts spitting Flamethrowers of impressive distance and Flame Bursts. Likely the first few tried to go into the storm to fight her and got wrecked like the fight I watched before Mars and I flew out.

The scarred one continues to work his way outwards in into her terrain showing his intelligence. The heat won't hurt her _that_ much but it will make it harder for her to keep the energy into her Sandstorm. Its clever, but so is my sister. The moment she figured out what he was doing she swam silently out and away from her own Sandstorm and Dragon Rushed her way out of the ground a ways behind him. The scarred one had just enough time to turn and try and dodge as she slammed into him with a massive crash. Crunch makes sure he's going in with her as they fall back into her terrain.

Howls of anger, pain and my starter roaring follow as we're treated to a horror movie of a beat down. Anytime he tries to escape my King Garchomp's massive claws and jaw drag him roaring back into her preferred place of stomping fools. A minute or two later we have another beat up charizard who is making those same disturbing moon eyes at my starter. The way Liza looks at Zaela makes me think I'm going to find her a gible someday to match the charmander she'll get eventually. She can be mini me!

After that we head to their hut, which I find out is the top of their home they've dug down into the mountain. Neat. I show off Sunny, who charms them all and its a long night of telling Liza about my plans, my family and what aura can do. And what I hope for happens.

I've got my first recruit. The fire in her eyes tells me I've changed canon again. If this place even has it. Mars pops out and offers a plan that has me staring at him. I'm going to have to get used to this. Liza is delighted with it and agrees to start on it while learning aura until she's strong enough to join my Order.

Don't worry journal-kun, I won't make you wait for Mars' idea.

"_Mother. Liza is very talented with my line. If she becomes dedicated to the Guardians, why not have her use this? Many of my kind here adore hard fought battles. Why not have someone they trust recruit them and their offspring for the order as a combat unit?"_

Yeah. Mars is too much. It will take some convincing but I think Liza can do it. Sorry Nate. Gonna have to find a different caretaker. Your daughter is the first of my Guardians.

We left the next day with a very much changed Liza and a grateful Nate. At least until he hears what Liza wants now. Maybe. I've plans to visit Rota later in my trip once I've proved a few things but maybe a trip there is needed if I get through the gyms quick enough. Either way I'll send mom a message about Liza to get her started on finding a riolu.

Mars and I have figured out what we're going to do about training as well. If we have issues with gyms we'll spend time around that area to train but for the most part we're going to fly to each gym unless we find things like the Charicific Valley and do them as quick as we can. There are places I want to go after. Alto Mare for instance. If have my way those two guardians there are going to start training. I'm positive everyone on my team except Aurora and maybe Sunny can defeat them as they are now. While not the legendary I am after Latios dying was pretty heart breaking. If I have my way Ash would be able to handle it with no loss of life but maybe I can recruit aide from the Eon Twins while I'm there.

Anyway.

Next stop Azalea Town.

* * *

Stone

Steven Stone was confused. While not an arrogant person, there is a certain amount of confidence in himself and his abilities. Talented many have described him. Its true even. Luckily he was born with an even demeanor that didn't let his gifts overshadow his common sense.

Yet, yesterday he was destroyed in a battle as if it were his first. To a newly evolved pokémon of his family's favored type. Not simply lost. Destroyed. Normal people would be crushed. They'd question themselves and demand excuses of the world for the affront such an even caused.

Yet Steven Stone was not normal. There was long hours of consideration and recalling the laughably fast battle in his head over and over but at no point did he think himself lesser. Perhaps a bit too over confident but nothing that really could have changed anything.

And then Steven considered the girl. Metagross didn't detect mental communication so other than her first command her Query did the rest based on previous training. Confusion turned into amazement at this. Amazement transitioned into anticipation and for the first time in a long while Steven was driven to innovate.

Psi-Fist? That's what she called it. Metagross tried to understand it from conversation with Query but its beyond his starter's comprehension for now. As well as the odd mental echo that metagross found in Query. That was quite confusing too. Usually when two of his starter's species meet there is immediate gestalt. Query rejected this and greeted his stater as an individual.

Yes, Steven was very excited. Someone out there younger than him gave him a lesson. Oh, he's certain the next fight he would do a lot different but he can honestly could not say if he is anywhere sure of winning

Months pass and his pokémon revel in the new methods he invents to make them stronger than ever. He neglects Devon Corp just a bit but his father doesn't seem to mind. Joseph Stone was affected in a different way than him as far as Steven can tell. What comes of that he's not sure.

Eventually he gets a call on his personal line which he doesn't recognize the origin. Regardless, he answers and its the most god awful of gaudy pictures. Ella Mita with pink. Sparkles. They do not belong on the person who crushed him.

"Why hello there Steven! I've come to offer you a deaaaal. Is everything okay? Is my hair out of place?" What. No. That. That. What.

"Uh...Its...Its nice to see you Ella. Of course everything is okay. Just...a flickering image." She can't have accepted this excuse but Steven's brain was shorting just a bit. Her voice sounds far too satisfied. "By all means I would enjoy hearing what you have to say."

"Welllllll. Perhaps I should just show you." The image shifts and he knows he's being set up. The love of rare stones that his family is know for is famous. Rare evolutionary times as well. Steven is not ashamed to admit that he is staring. "I've been gathering these for a long while. Water stones, a few thunder stones….Prism Scales and usable Dragon Scales."

Why are they in a treasure chest? Did she find it in a wreck? Struggling to remember if Blackthorn is near an ocean is pushed aside. "Some of them from an ancient Champion level garchomp that birthed I think what you might be interested in studying is this."

That monster of a gabite evolved? The gap between them widens if that's the case. He has-Wait. Those can't be.

"I see. Do-do you know who they belong to?" It takes all he can to keep his voice steady. Mega stones. Two.

"This one is for gyarados. Mmhmm. As if they weren't scary enough." That's one he hasn't heard of before. Impressive. He can only imagine what that would look like. Then Ella makes his heart stop."This one though...Is for a Scizor."

Costs go through his head. His Scizor is one of his oldest friends. To show how strong their bond off tot he world? Not to mention to have two mega stones for his team. Would Query have defeated his starter if they had gone Mega from the start?

"So my deal is this. Buy off most of these stones. I'm keeping a few I've already put aside. And the scales for a key stone" Easily enough done. They have plenty of key stones "And we can trade the mega stones for any you might have for my team. Or one I'm particularly interested in later."

That's an easy decision. "I'm sending you a list of ones I have that I'm willing to part with. Give me a day and I might have one I can possibly get you before the end of the year." Despite how much she's obviously playing him Steven can't help but like the Blackthorn girl. Anyone who can go through what she did with grace deserves respect. That didn't mean he wasn't going to do his best to pay her back for his defeat.

"Tomorrow then Steven!" The moment she's gone he starts. He owes her. She taught him that he's stagnated. That he's allowed his success to fail to reach further. One of her choices is easy. The one he's sure she covets will take some work. And if he succeeds she'll be grateful. Grateful enough for a rematch he imagines.

He's not worried about failing.

He's Steven Stone after all. He was born to push forward.

* * *

**Whew! First gym and journey started. Mars again shows he's stupid smart. Sunny charms everyone. And Ella discovers its kind of boring facing anyone not on her level. Things are slowing down obviously. Previous chapters covered a year. There will be eventual time skips but not till after her first league.**

**I always thought Liza was special. You don't take care of a valley full of bad asses and not have something there. So yes! Got a first recruit. It won't bear fruit for a few years but its a start. Ella does have a decade until she knows the first of the shitty things will occur.**

**Assuming her actions don't escalate things of course. Muahahah. We'll see. I'm considering writing an entire chapter from the team's point of view. Haven't decided. If it happens it will be after number seven. If you all are interested let me know. Otherwise expect the second perspectives to be from other characters.**

**I'm not sure and couldn't find any references to who is before Ash's generation of professors/gym leaders in Johto so hope you like Professor Redwood(No relation to the fan game prof) and Mace Marble. Not entirely happy with the gym fight and may up it later but pidgeot vs Mars was fun at least.**

**Did I mention I like Steven Stone? Such a cool Champion. On to the team!**

**_**1- Zaela the King Garchomp (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Adamant**__

_**_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, Double Team, Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, Rain Dance, Mud-Slap, Dual Chop, Slash, Dragon Claw, **_**_**__**Draco Meteor, Dragon Rush, Earthquake, **__**_**_**Stone Edge, **_**_**__**Crunch**__**

**_**Combination Moves: Furnace (Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit)**_**

**_**Pain Whirl (Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and Rock Slide with a helping of Mud-Slap. Confuse them in a tornado made of giant pain rocks)**_**

**_**Grinder- Earthquake and Earth Power to simultaneously disrupt movement and provide a sharp incline to speed up Dragon Rush and manually activate Stealth Rocks. Rock Slide to subtly hammer Stealth Rocks towards vital points. Very tiring.**_**

**_**Ella's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_**

_**_**2- Query the Shiny Metagross**_**_**__** (Identifies Male)**__**

__**Ability: Clear Body**__

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

_**_**Moves: Iron Head, Iron Defense, Take Down, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Psych Up, Gravity, Ally Switch, Miracle Eye , Scary Face, Brick Break, Meteor Mash, Agility, Magnet Rise, Return, Reflect, Double Team, Light Screen, **_**_**__**Rock Smash, Hammer Arm. Pursuit, **__**_**_**Hammer Arm**_**_

**_**Combination Moves: Psi-Fist - A method of psychic manipulation of an opponents gravity and self to make critical hits happen. A variety of punches/strikes with heavy but small piercing-like psychic stabs to balance points.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Two- Constant mind/emotion reading to adapt to attack patterns and psychological weaknesses. Low level confusion waves to occlude and disrupt senses and to influence terror or caution depending on level of threat as well as psychological profile. Can currently use two dedicated brains for state two. Three deemed too detrimental to combat ability.**_**

**_**3- Truthseeker(Tru) the Lucario (Female)**_**

_**_**Abilities: Inner Focus, **_**_**__**Justified (Hidden)**__**

__**Nature: Serious**__

_**_**Moves: Foresight, Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Detect, Cross Chop, Bite, Mind Reader, High Jump Kick, Agility, Vacuum Wave, Crunch, Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash, Copycat, Rock Smash, Force Palm, **_**_**__**Aura Sphere, Heal Pulse, Power-Up Punch, **__**_**_**Me First, Calm Mind**_**_

**_**Combination Moves: Heal Sphere- Aura Sphere made with heal pulse energy. Very aura intensive but serves as a long range critical heal.**_**

__**EMT- Bullet Punch or Me First(Depends on move) to target who is attacking ally. Counter if needed while second hand is using Heal Pulse. High Jump Kick away if Quick Attack is not fast enough. Looking into Substitute, Extremespeed and Quick Guard for increased effectiveness.**__

**_**4- Sunshine(Sunny) the Sylveon (Female)**_**

**__**Abilities: Cute Charm, **__**_**_**Pixilate (Hidden)**_**_

__**Nature: Quirky**__

**__**Moves: **__**_**_**Fake Tears, Tickle, Wish, Yawn, Stored Power, Tackle, Helping Hand, Baby-Doll Eyes, Fairy Wind, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Swifty, Moonblast, Refresh, Draining Kiss, Light Screen, Misty Terrain, Skill Swap, Reflect, Safeguard, Round**_**_

__**Special Moves: Talk no jutsu. Seriously. Okay not seriously. Just couldn't resist the joke.**__

_**_**5- Mars the Shiny Charizard**_**_**__** (Male)**__**

**_**Ability: Blaze**_**

**_**Nature: Lonely**_**

**__**Moves: **__**_**_**Ancient Power, Flare Blitz, Scratch, Ember, Dragon Dance, Air Cutter, Crunch, Bite, Beat Up, **_**_**__**Dragon Rush, Dragon Pulse, Slash, Fire Fang, Dragon Rage, Flame Burst, Flamethrower, Metal Claw, Smokescreen, Wing Attack**__**

_**_**Combination Moves(Self Taught): Dragon Blitz-High speed directed attack. A fully boosted by Dragon Dance Flare Blitz combined with a Dragon Rush that can be changed mid attack by using an enforced claw with Slash and Metal Claw to dig into nearby surfaces to a new direction. **_**_**__**Wing Attack and Air Cutter to achieve similar effects in air. Steel Wing desired. Double Team to be added for confusion once completely mastered. Possible Beat Up Clones when team exceeds six members.**__**

**_**Smoke Boost- Dragon Dance while setting up favorable terrain with Ancient Power and hoping for more buffs while covered in a Smokescreen. Double Team and Beat Up to be added later.**_**

__**Firewall- Flame Bursts tossed up high and fed with a directional Air Cutter. Flamethrower added immediately after Flame Burst. Able to use without Blaze but cannot sustain it while moving without ability activation. Ancient Power to be added in slowly. Rock Slide an alternative if learnt.**__

_**_**6- Aurora the Amaura**_**_**__** (Female)**__**

**_**Abilities: Refrigerate, Snow Warning (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Modest**_**

**_**Moves: Powder Snow, Thunder Wave, Haze, Barrier, Mirror Coat, Sandstorm, Hail, Magnet Rise, Discharge, Rock Throw, Mist, Icy Wind, Ice Beam, Round, Ancient Power, Aurora Beam, Avalanche**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Storm Defense: Ability activation, Sandstorm and Barrier. Omni-Directional Discharge if any non-ground types enter the field.**_**

__**7- "Thunderbug" the ? (Male)**__

__**Is not actually a bug type. The group just likes to eff with him. Likes entertainment apparently.**__

__**8- Joker, Dark one the ? (Male)**__

**_**Possibly the most dangerous. Also a close friend of Query.**_**

_**_**9- Angel**_**_**__** the ? (Female)**__**

__**Dedicated healer and transportation specialist. No jokes here. She's the best.**__

__**10- Ghost Tass the ? (Male)**__

__**Not much known. Other than he's got stereotypical ghost ideas. In other words, can be an ass. Also possibly dangerous. But seriously. Ghost. Big duh. But actually isn't all bad! Gotcha! Uses suffering to heal in some way, somehow.**__

__**11- Water Maiden the ? (Female)**__

__**Tank of some variety. Prideful as fuck.**__

**_**12- Legend the ? (Female)**_**

**_**Literally a legendary. Seriously. Its happening. Ella's ultimate goal for proof of her path to the world. Loses to Zaela a lot supposedly. For now. Possibly psychic or some mental ability.**_**


	8. Ch 8- Adept and Thunderbug

**Still can't stop writing. Enjoying it too much. Had a bunch of days off from work which is why these last few chapters have come so quick. I'm really excited about the gym fight in this story. Like really really excited.**

**Also have a side story I'll be writing when it strikes me. Purely about Ella's team from their perspective. Not sure if they are going to be cannon just yet. First story is Sunny babysitting with a guest so look for that if you wanna see our favorite sylveon be stupid cute.**

**Onto reviews!**

**Alakrux- I think having multiple perspectives to a story is fascinating so always going to have at least two. Liza is going to feature prominently later in the story. If she can connect well with charizard how will other aura users do if she sets the building blocks for it? I already have an idea of how I want Zaela and char-daddy's meeting to go. But that's likely not till after the first time skip. Thank you for reading and always, the kind words.**

**Blaze2121- Yep! Liza is here to stay. I've a few anime characters I have in mind to help Ella as well as some oc's eventually. As to romance? Yes. There are two people I have in mind for her. Not a harem or anything. Just two people she'd eventually want to be with will have to choose. Haven't met them either note! One is a canon character and the other is an OC, sorta. You'll see eventually! But even if Ella is mentally in her later 20's she's ten physically so no romance yet!**

**frankieu-I knew going in that challenges to her team would be rough until later. But she planned to be unfair and I think the six years of harsh work she put in for this makes it justified that she curb stomps regular trainers. Liza is great! Always liked her. We'll see her more in a bit. Gym was alright but I think I'm going to go nuts with later battles. Harder challenges. Ghost gym is going to be annoying to plan but still looking forward. Thank as always for your support!**

**wanderinghawk1- Thanks! I'd say I'm working hard but I'm really just enjoying writing it. Plus I'm totally failing on proofreading. I'm making an eheheh expression here. Thank you for liking it though. Much love.**

**Onto the story!**

**Disclaimer- I don't own anything pokémon oriented. Just the oc's!**

* * *

Adept

Azalea Town

Flying on Mars is rapidly becoming my favorite thing to do. The trip from the Charicific valley gave us a lot of time to plan. How we could set up where we'd have headquarters was especially important. I was all for having chapter houses of sorts but Mars rightfully suggested we wait to see if we could recruit some sort of support group. Not front liners but perhaps former military or police. A lot could also be learned when we eventually got to Rota.

I'm not sure if we're going to do gym battles after this league for instance. Ten years is not a long time to get together a global group but we'll see. Leagues are probably still amazing places to recruit. I'll decide after we're done with the Silver Conference.

Zaela is going to get jealous if I only ride Mars so I release her on a break halfway to Azalea Town along with the rest and ask if she wants to fly with us.

"_Uh. Yes. Try to keep up. Azalea is that way right?" _My starter more or less has the right direction. Query and Mars are the two most knowledge heavy of the group but when Zaela found out she could fly early in life she memorized every map we had in the Clan.

"_Indeed Zaela. Please forgive me if I insist Mother ride with me. We really should get a harness for your hide." _Mars is kinda right. Rough Skin is amazing as an ability but we've had to replace my outfit a bunch of times just riding her on the ground. Zaela lets out a bit of blue flame in annoyance but doesn't disagree.

"_Wait. Zaela has a town?! Since when? I want one!"_

"_Sunny. Its Azalea Town."_

"A_! Zaela town! A! As in she has more than one?!"_

Mars is sighing as Query tries again.

"_No Sunny. It sounds similar but its actually slightly different. Aaaaazallleeeaah. As opposed to Zaaeelah."_

"_Oh. Well why did they make it so close to her name? That's not very nice. Are they trying to confuse us? Isn't that a ray anyway? Not a word?"_

"_Mistress, I'll be returning myself until we reach town."_

"_Oh hoh! You're so cute Sunny! Don't you ever change. Come here and take this. I made it with that fruit juice your mother got for us the other day."_

"_Yay! Thank's Aurora. You're the best. Mm. Slushy."_

So we got back to flying soon after. Zaela is getting much better in the air and I'm quite looking forward to seeing what we can do with it when she's ready for faster movements.

The scenery was very nice and I'm glad I bought goggles before leaving. Lots of fliers in Blackthorn so I got some pretty nifty ones even if they are a tad uncomfortable over my patch. Today is white and pink for Sunny. She can't stop purring when she sees me put it on.

Aurora has gotten a bit more bold. She's had issues with people staring at her but her victory in the last gym and being around us in general are taking some of her skittishness away. I probably shouldn't have told her how rare she is and that she needed to be careful but sadly it better for her to be cautious than stolen or something.

So. Today she's going to be walking through Azalea Town with Tru and I. Should be interesting. The town isn't that much to write about. Its a town. The gym is interesting though. Looks like a greenhouse of sorts from the outside. Its all hardened plastic instead of glass though. One thing this world has right are durable materials. Cause pokémon battles.

Aurora did get some stares and she hid a little behind me but eventually started being more confident when we started passing an elementary school and some five or so year olds ran over to peer at her.

"Whoa! What are they? Hey lad-double whoa! You have an eyepatch!" The girl next to this boy shushed him hard while I just grinned and leaned over the fence. One of the teachers stood up but relaxed at the lucario calmly by my side. Tru moved off to another gathering of children, not really recognizing her but calmed by the feeling she was purposefully emitting.

"Aurora here is called an amaura. She's pretty unique but I think she's beautiful. I don't think she'd mind if you say hi."

"Yay! Is that fine Mrs. Porter?" Said teacher just paused and walked closer, still watching the lucario who was casually juggling small, harmless aura spheres for her group of children and nods.

"Very well. But thank Ms…."

"Ella Mita. And its not trouble. Its good for her too. She adores children." That's for sure true. She spent as much time with Joy and Becca's twins as she could. Even suffered through warmer environment for it. Aurora, spurred by their friendliness lets out a low croon and pads around to the gate Mrs. Porter opens for us to come in. I approve of an old machoke that I see sitting just out of sight of the gate. Probably a bit of protection mostly for wild pokémon but could handle any human idiots easily.

Aurora lets the two children touch her and exclaim how chilly she is while she starts making a small pile of snow for them to play with. Its actually quite easy for her to do with her ability. Just lowers the power a bit. We've been working on her weakness to the warmer weather by having her run her ability as much as possible during the early morning. We'll work up to noon. Both the girl and the boy are gathering up the snow to fling at their distracted classmates and I just grin and lean against the fence.

"Thank you for this. Most trainers are pretty jealous of their pokémon. Amaura was it? I don't think I've heard of that species." Aurora runs slowly after the children, providing them more ammunition. Tru, who is still becoming more and more mellow, uses Copycat and provides the other side snow as well. Lines are drawn. Battle begins with giant shrieks of happiness. Sighing, I release Sunny and she turns her face up at me with Puppy Dog Eyes Mega Attack and I just nod.

A wild sylveon joins the battle!

"Aurora is very special. She's a revived fossil. The only of her kind in the world as far as I know." Sunny ups the ante , joining Tru as Tru can't make snow unless Aurora uses a move. Reflect screens start popping up to make Aurora's barriers even out from my Sunshine.

"Really. That's amazing. Isn't that very expensive?" Mrs Porter is a fairly older woman. In her mid sixties or so and I can feel her aura even without letting my senses flow. My project is paying off I think.

"Oh extremely. I traded something important for it. Entirely worth it though." My lone eye looks at Aurora fondly. She's laughing so loudly and letting the boy from the start hide behind her as she mirror coat tosses back a giant snowball Tru threw. The lucario's eyes widen and is knocked off her feet only to gracefully turn it into a backflip. Sunny has her ribbons wrapped around two children and has their heads near hers in a huddle. I'm 100% sure they can't understand her but they nod along anyway. Something signals a break and they all run screaming to chase Tru. Betrayal!

"Do you mind if I release the rest of my team? They are very, very large but I promise none would harm anyone here." Mrs. Porter takes my warning seriously and nods after giving my three family members already out a look. Aurora uses more powdered snow in the middle to give everyone a fair amount of snowballs.

"Go ahead." Smiling in response, Mars comes out first and moves off to the side and lays down as if taking a nap. His eyes remain open as he watches the children with a small smile. There's a bit of a hush as everyone registers my black scaled charizard. It grows more prominent when Query pops out and floats over to the jungle gym. Seeing him start to spin the merry-go round and hum a slow metallic tune does a lot to ease things.

Then Zaela shows up. Not much to say. Nearly 13' dragon with giant cleavers for arms. Mrs. Porter's eyes widen with alarm until Zaela swims into the ground and comes up to shove snow over Tru. The children, bless them, just start to try and pelt their previous targets. Aurora smacks Zaela with her hoof and obviously scolds her for ruining all the snow pile she has and the children view that as permission to come say hi to Zae. She backs off and slides under the earth.

"Zaela's skin is very rough kids. She's friendly and won't mind you tossing snowballs at her but if you try and climb on her you could get hurt. Mars and Query over there are fine to touch though. Just mind Mars' tail." My whole team is familiar with Joy's twins. They know how to be kind.

The afternoon passes quickly then. The school is small and Mrs. Porter confesses that practical knowledge of pokémon is a godsend. I spend a lot of time teaching some of the kids about my family and all of them stare amazed at Tru's ability to talk back to them. Its the first time I've seen her blush. I only know that because of the feeling coming off of her. Yep. Aura project is paying off.

We stay until school lets out and my is it hilarious watching parents come and see their kids laying against my lazy charizard, being patiently pushed up and down slides by my massive floating metagross or chasing Aurora and Sunny around the grassy field. My very much asleep starter with only her giant fin out of the earth probably doesn't help. Tru though is the one who is very much fucking with people. Not on purpose either.

"_It was good to meet you Todd. Please do keep up with your artwork. I enjoyed the story you showed in the dirt."_

"_Susan. Please watch yourself. When you are little it is easy to forget where you are going. Ma'am. Your daughter tripped. It was nothing serious and I 'kissed the boo boo'. But still."_

"_Yes Elias. I will remember you. It was a pleasure climbing that tree with you."_

"_Penny. Of course you can be whatever you want. Dream high and work hard and nothing will be out of your grasp...That means you can do it."_

"_Don't let it get to you Rudy. You'll do better next test if you concentrate. I know that you have a lot of energy. If you keep having trouble don't be afraid to ask for help. I didn't when I was young and I regret it._

"_Thank you ma'am but no, I am fine with merely thanks for showing your son how to tie his shoes. Its just making it fun for him. Sunny sang him a song and we just made up the words. I'm sure he'll teach you them."_

Sunny hated seeing them go. Everyone had fun. I love my family. Gym tomorrow.

Bugs

Yeah. I like labeling this by what is going on more than time. This gym started off shitty. I haven't cursed in a while. It started off shiiiiity. Getting into it.

I just took a peek last time but it really is a lovely gym. Bright and airy. All that. Bugsy isn't here and its meh. I'm sure I'll enjoy the fight anyway. Entering, there is another of those stereotypical random dudes to tell me where to go.

I might be tired of telling the same conversation over and over again. But! This person didn't recognize me. The eyepatch was stared at. How is it that none of the kids made a big deal about my eye yesterday and this asshole did? Urgh. Even Mrs. Porter didn't ask me about it.

Whatever. Gym trainers. I won't go into the slaughter. I used Sunny and it was pretty mean. Moonblast destroyed almost all of them. The only issue we had was with a guy who had a scyther that double teamed us. Sunny used swift and disarming voice after she got bored. Ahem. She thought popping double teams was hilarious and kept chasing them, giggling and using her ribbons to smack them.

The guy's face was priceless. And I have a feeling this gym wasn't warned about me or ignored it.

I'm at the main room waiting for the Gym Leader to appear and tossing Zaela's ball up and down. I'm trying to let everyone have a gym battle but Zaela flat out told me not to use her unless I think she'll have fun or we've been insulted. This might constitute insulting. Depends. If they're ignorant? Fine. But ignoring my mom's advice? Insulting.

The man who steps through is rather short and a tad round. His expression is quite bored and he looks as if he just got out of bed. My lone eye narrows but I refuse to make a snap decision. I must not get arrogant. I'm strong but not the best. Gotta remember.

"Right. Welcome to the Azalea Gym. Name's Hardy. How many badges you got?" Blinking, I lift my leather jacket to show the single badge attached there and he nods.

"This'll be a two on two battle then. I'm not allowed to substitute but you can whenever-"

Gotta make sure so I raise my hand as he looks at me, staring at my lone eye briefly but not recognizing it. Guess that's fine. "I don't suppose you've heard of Ella Mita?"

At this his eyes widen and he snorts a bit. "So you're Hannah's kid. Yeah. I got her warning. Its still a two on two battle." The scorn in his tone settles my decision. Shrugging I lean back and nod to the referee that I'm ready.

"This will be a two on two match between Ella Mita of Blackthorn and Gym Leader Hardy Reskan. Only the challenger may substitute. Begin!"

Calmly I wait for him to release his beedrill. It looks somewhat old. Perhaps intermediate level. I do my Kakashi eyesmile imitation and toss out Zaela's ball. She heard the whole thing. No stasis mode ever for my pokémon unless they request it or they're extremely hurt.

Zaela emerges with a roar that nearly shatters the closest windows. Thirteen feet of pissed off dragon sister makes the referee pale and the Gym Leader back up a step. She doesn't wait and shoves herself off the ground with enough force to kick back the dirt so hard that it forces the psychic shields all gyms have to activate. Zaela is pretty good at holding back after almost a year with Aurora but I worry for a moment for the beedril. Her Dragon Rush hits so hard its out before it hits the ground. Standing over the downed bug she snarls at Hardy and backs away to her original position without breaking her gaze of him.

Hardy shakily returns his beedril and shifts to look at me calmly waiting for him to continue. He considers things for a moment then presses a button along his trainer box and places beedrill's ball there and pulls out an old looking nest ball. "I apologize. That was rude of me."

Alright. I might forgive him for that. Sucking up pride in front of a ten year old, even if I have a garchomp that could destroy this building, has gotta sting. Excitement fills me as a pretty giant scizor is released. Zaela snorts in approval. Maybe this'll train us for a rematch with Steven? Hardy nods his head to give us the first move and this time he's quite more respectful about it.

My starter doesn't bother with a sandstorm just yet and dips into the earth in that disconcerting manner of hers that leaves no trace. Scizor buzzes in interest and cross his arms in a swords dance. Immediately he splits into a double team so smoothly that I can't even remotely see which it is. I could tell with aura but this is Zaela's fun, I won't spoil it.

My starter begins with old fun. Flamethrowers that are now significant threats pop up for split seconds in controlled spurts start whittling down the double teams. Scizor just keeps adding until his dance is full then starts to fly around in random patterns until he sees his shot. In blinding speed he times it perfect to smash a technician enhanced Bullet Punch into my sister as her giant head snaps up.

I'm a little surprised it hit from her roar but the barely dodged crunch tells me she wanted him to get in. She just missed. Scizor keeps this up, dancing around and pissing Zaela off without end until she changes tactics. A sandstorm explodes up and Zaela's own double team emerges. Seeing that many giant dragons coming at him stalls scizor for just a split second and using the same trick as on beedrill my starter leaves the ground with authority. This time though its with something she and Mars have been working on.

Her double team was the first distraction, the roaring Dragon Rush the second as scizor turns to dodge her with a bug buzz hammering her ears...And crashes directly into the stone edge she raised from the still raging sandstorm. There is a horrible clanging sound as the attack shoves him into her crunch. Down they go into the earth and I know its over. Hardy forfeits immediately and I slam my foot on the ground. Scizor isn't totally thrashed as Zaela didn't have time to cook him underground yet. Still, Hardy recalls him quickly and starts making his way over.

To his credit he walks past the emerging Zaela with a nod of respect, even if she growls at him in displeasure. The referee is still just staring at her. He hasn't done anything else.

"I am very sorry still. If you'd like to return another time and face the rest of my team I'd be happy to give you a better battle." Zaela purposefully stomps her way over and towers over Hardy. I might forgive quickly but Zaela's still pissed.

"Thank you. I'd love to sometime. Zaela sadly holds a grudge." I'm not sad. She can do what she wants but hey, gotta be polite. "So I'm afraid your team might be in for a bad time if she decides she wants to fight you again."

Hardy glances over his shoulder way, way up at her and sighs deeply. "I'd probably deserve it but my team does not. So I suppose we'll see if you come back eh?" Pulling out a Hive Badge he hands it over with a weak smile and I nod.

I wasn't going to be petty. Really. But mom would never forgive me. As I'm walking away I speak over my shoulder after recalling Zaela who can't fit through the door. "I'll make sure to tell my mom alllll about this battle."

The gulp from behind me is so very sweet to the ears.

After that I don't particularly want to see the rest of the town so I mount up on Mars and head towards Goldenrod. There are a few choices to go to. The onix tunnel would be a must for training if not for Momma's mastery of earth and such. Still, kind of tempted. Nah.

Len Town is another choice due to the ghosts said to be around there but I'm not set to get my ghost for a while yet. Decisions decisions. Just fly on to Goldenrod? A lot to do there. Now. A note here journal-kun. I think I've been pretty good about planning for the most part. And preparing and all that jazz. We're all fed. I make sure to find proper nutrients everywhere and all that jazz.

When I was planning my pokémon after the original six I did something different. I had some of them be in their middle evolutions to save some time for me and also give them battle experience before they met me. Or so I thought. Plus I gave them a shitton of attacks. Given how Tru started I probably should have expected something to happen like how I met seven.

That said, love the guy.

Mars and I were having some fun while flying. I told him about Shikamaru on a whim and he actually laughed, saying yes that name would have worked well with him. Thus we're not paying attention to the forest we're flying over and watching clouds.

"That one is a snorlax about to dance."

"_Mother. Even if snorlax would dance I can't see how that would be a-oh. He's upside down. Good one. That one over there is your mother breathing fire."_

"I don't see that. It just looks like a monster sorta-ohhhh. Hah. You're lucky I love you or I'd tell her what you said."

"_Only reason I said it Mother...Now-"_

So the thunderbolt that nearly hit us nearly set my hair up on its ends. Mars, conscious that I have no secure way of being on him actually tosses me up to flip over and catch me in his arms then taps Query's ball to release him before I can think.

"_Attack Query! Take Mother and follow when safe!" _With that my black dragon shouts his fury as his kind can and begins to weave, dodging what looks like a thundershock this time and already beginning a dragon dance. Query already has me with psychic and his muted anger is humming in the back of my mind as we float after Mars.

Gouts of flame and crashing brush are easy to follow and we come upon Mars slamming a black and yellow bipedal pokémon into the ground and reaching back to charge a Dragon Claw to end it. My family is taught not to hold back in life and death situations and Mars felt he almost lost me. My eyes widen at the pokémon though and I scream.

"MARS! Don't!" Its a close thing but my son shifts his aim and merely leaves a scratch through the Electabuzz's fur. Snarling in anger he lets flames leak out of his mouth and doesn't let his foot move from the chest of our attacker.

"_Move and die shithead." _Okay. Maybe I should stop cursing around my kids. Even if they are destruction monsters.

The electabuzz just raises his hands and lays back as if he's about to stretch out for a nap. His voice is shockingly (heh) friendly. _"Look guy. I'm sorry. Really. I didn't see you had a passenger. Usually your kind is really good for a fight and there's a lot of you not too far away. I got let go by a trainer a long time ago but the battling part never leaves you. I didn't mean it and she's alright yeah?"_

The electabuzz looks over at me and gives that voice you have when you know someone isn't going to understand you but you _still_ try to make them comprehend. The one that's kind of condescending. Yeah. He talks in that. _"Girl. Mind calling him off? I'm friiiiendly. I didn't mean it. Just wanted a decent fight. Oh wow. You're both shiny. Uhm. Sorry too Meta-bud."_

Query is very vindictive about my safety. Insanely so. But only if he senses that it was done on purpose. _"I've no issue with you even if you are a Thunderbug."_Mars actually snorts at that and the electabuzz just laughs loudly, getting to his feet after Mars steps off at my signal.

My likely seventh teammate winds his arm around in pain and glances up at Mars. _"Neat team you have with you. Your trainer is a fighter too? Gotta be tough to lose an eye." _I still haven't talked to him yet as his voice is just so jolly….Oh. His nature. Guess I'll share that.

_Wattson the Electabuzz_

_Nature: Jolly_

_Ability: Static_

_Moves: Thunder Shock, Cross Chop, Thunderbolt, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Focus Punch, Low Kick, Rolling Kick, Meditate, Dynamic Punch, Light Screen, Barrier, Thunderpunch, Discharge, Thunder, Shock Wave_

Yeah. I gave him a lot of attacks. And I regret it.

"You said your trainer abandoned you?" My voice is even but Query peers at me in concern. He can feel the guilt rattling in my head at that.

"_Well yeah I did-wait. Did you understand that? Oy. Meta-bud did you tell-"_

"No. I can understand you. I'm an aura user." Cue the usually showing off my hand glowing with power but I also release Tru who looks about curiously at the area. Electabuzz just stares at the lucario then back at me as I clamp down hard on my feelings.

What about the rest of my pokémon? Are there even electabuzz normally in Johto? I don't remember. Did Fate cause this poor guy to meet a shitty trainer to eventually find his way here and be let go? Query is _very_ alarmed now and Tru snaps her gaze to me with concern.

Electabuzz, thank Arceus, just stares in a bit of aw and nudges Mars with a grin in his voice. _"Well aren't you guys lucky to have a trainer you can complain to! Hah! That's amazing. Glad we got to meet even if it was on the wrong foot. Feet for you eh Meta-bud? Nice to meet you all really. It was a boring day."_

He's super nice too. Why the hell was he abandoned? What the fuck. Sure. Go to the pokémon world. Have your favorite most broken pokémon. Make it easy on your stupid dream and not consider how you are fucking with their lives.

"Mars, Tru, if you would mind setting up camp? We're going to camp here with our friend if that's fine with you? We have berries and one of my family can make it into a desert I'm sure you'd love." I'm keeping my face neutral until I can get Query away from this for a minute. I need him to calm me down. Tru would work too but Query gets to the heart of me so easily.

"_Oh yeah! I'd love that. I really miss companions like a team yeah? How many yah got? This is amazing. Never thought I could get to talk to a human. Huh. There's a place over here that'll let you start a fire easy." _He's killing me. Forcing a smile I release Sunny and make sure she's out of range to touch me with a ribbon. No need for her to feel this right now. Aurora follows right after and Sunny greets her with glee before staring at the new person. She immediately heads over to tell her all about herself.

Zaela is next and the electabuzz gets into a fighting stance for a second then relaxes. _"Holy fuck. You guys are the real deal. Wow again. Well. Lets all say hello then! This is the most interesting thing that's happened in forever!" _Must not cry yet. Must not.

"Query and I will go get a bit more berries. Just in case. Don't worry. I can find Tru miles away so we won't get lost." Sunny is already running around the electabuzz while he just laughs uproariously at her excitement. Aurora finds this charming and walks up by.

Tru gazes at me hard but nods to Query and tugs Mars after as the group moves off. Zaela is already underground and moving along, looking kind of pouty that the powerful looking electric type doesn't seem like he wants to fight.

I wait until they're out of sight and I'm on the other side of a nearby tree to start sobbing. Query just stands nearby and pulses compassion my way. He doesn't offer words yet as I grieve for what I may have done. Perhaps it isn't my fault. Perhaps this pokémon isn't out here because of me when he so obviously fits in with others.

Perhaps, but it feels like it was me.

Ten minutes is all I allow myself to wallow in self pity. And to worry what I've done to the others in my list of pokémon. What I do know is I'm going to offer this guy a home and love him for the rest of my days if he lets me.

"_Heart-voice. I know why you feel this way but you must let it go. Whether you cause this or not it has happened. Do not despair. If he is as he appears he will adore us and be better for it."_

Query always knows what to tell me. Today its not enough yet. Its a start but I wipe my eye and am thankful I can't cry through my absent one. Would make my eyepatch (Silver-gold again today) all gross. I lean against my inspiration get myself under control. Gotta get 'Thunderbug' on our side.

"Alright. Thanks Query. We'll do right by him. He willingly tried to get Mars to fight him. Best believe we're going to take him along." That's the kind of reckless we like. Blame the dragon starter. My boy is great. Three of his minds have been collecting berries from as far as he can reach. Laughing at that I ignore how it sounds like a half sob and help him get more for a few more minutes.

"_It will be fine heart-voice. You will make this right in your mind even if I do not believe you need to. Come. I'm sure Sunny has done half your work for you."_

Well. He's probably not wrong.

He was right.

Coming onto Tru's signature after washing my face in a stream we pass and rearranging my hair from the mess it became from flying we find Thunderbug (Gotta get him a different name) laughing uproariously at something Zalea is saying. Zaela. Turns out she was telling a Sunny story. So Query was half right actually.

"_Look! I did too meet a flying cat! Mom believed me! So its true! Mom knows more than all of us!"_

"_Sunny, even if Mistress believed you it might have been something else. An illusion or dream. You said this cat was not there when you awoke."_

"_Tru! You can tell I believe it! So its true! I'm a good girl. I don't lie. So neeeehhh. You believe me nice new person right?"_

"_Of course! How could I deny that face! Look at it. That is the picture of truth!" _For some reason he flexes here. It fits him. Sunny rewards him by jumping in his lap and purring hard.

"_See! If someone I've never met trusts me then you have to believe me." _Oi. That logic. Still, my heart.

"_Whatever Sunny. Oi. Sister. Did you bring me meat?"_ Shaking my head with a sigh I curl my fingers up under Zaela's chin. She's only part way out of the earth and leans into my caress.

"Didn't have time. We'll go hunting before the next city I promise." We've been feeding ourselves mostly along the trip. Survival hunting began year one of my meeting with Zaela after all. "Here we are. Aurora? If you would?"

"_Of course darling. You shall enjoy this quite a bit sir. Come. Pick your favor-Sunny! Be good and wait your turn." _Shaking her head fins at Sunny in a mild rebuke causes her to let out a little whine but she sits back in the new guy's lap and waits patiently.

"_Hah! You guys are alright. Hmm...Lets try all these. I like to be surprised so why not?" _Aurora takes the bowl I hand her that we use for this and waits for me to mush up the chosen berries. She dials down a powdered snow and combines it with refrigerate to make the slush we all have grown to love and hands the electabuzz the bowl as I'm already fixing up the remaining bowls I pull from my storage bag. I ignore my own helping as the electric pokémon takes one bite and his eyes widen.

With the most serious look and level voice, _"Aurora is it? Marry me. Make me the happiest belly-I mean pokémon every. I shall sing your praises across the land." _Tru of all people starts laughting, _"All shall know of Aurora as the most beautiful whatever you are-" _Now Sunny is giggling, _"and shall come from far and wide to see your splendor. No! Don't answer me now! I shall defeat all who see your han-hoof!"_

Can't feel guilt. Mars rolls his eyes and lays down to nap. Zaela snickers a bit and swims over to sleep next to Mars. Much as it seems she's interested in Mars, he doesn't appear to notice. They do like sleeping next to each other for warmth though. Yay giant lizards.

Night comes quickly and I'm left with Sunny on my lap, electabuz across from me and Query, never sleeping, playing some sort of game with himself by watching the stars. The only reason I know its a game is because his mental echo is always the same when he used to play games with those older folks in Blackthorn.

Tru lays up in a nearby tree and I'm not sure if she's asleep or just meditating. Zae and Mars haven't moved from their spot. We're pretty safe. No one wants to fuck with my dragons.

"_This was an amazing day. I can't believe all this happened because I did something stupid. Thanks Ella. Your mons are great. Makes me remember the good times."_

Alright. Suck it up Mita. "If you don't mind, would you tell me of how you came to be here? Only if you like. You're very kind. Sunny is friendly to everyone but she likes you quite a lot."

Electabuzz just sits there for a while, obviously thinking of the past and lets out a low hum that crackles gently with voltage. _"She was a bit of a diva. Expected more than she should with little effort. She didn't really abuse us but she just wanted things to look neat and to be the star. If she'd started with contests maybe she'd have been happier. After a while she couldn't afford us really. Some of us were wild and would have been fine if she just tried to get us to find food. Would have been hard, but doable."_

Another pause here as he looks upwards. Maybe counting the few shooting stars we're seeing. Query's hum of empathy makes the electabuzz smile. _"After a bit more time she just started letting us go saying all the usual things people who blame others for the things they lack say. My team was never overly close but there were good times. I wandered a bit, considering getting myself caught and ended up here. Been a few years. I think I didn't know what I missed until you guys showed up here. Maybe that's why I've been attacking fliers or such. Falling back on old instincts to try and find someone to be home."_

He's very carefully not looking at me or Sunny, his eyes a little misty as he watches the forest line, trying his best not to see any of my obviously beloved family. My response startles him. The premier ball rolls to a stop at his feet, not touching.

"Its yours if you want. I'll adore you for the rest of my life. On my heart."I nod down to Sunny. "On my soul." Another nod to the sleeping Zaela. "On my honor." A thumb up towards Tru in the tree. "For the inspiration he gives." Query just hums out at my words. "And by the son I don't deserve." My eye flits to Mars. "For my miracle." The amaura who sleeps in the shade.

"Join us."

He does.

Training.

New team member means we see what he can do. And where he can fit in. The obvious one is to help Aurora, Tru, Mars and Query with electric moves. We're not moving until Aurora gets more electricty down and everyone else of those four knows thunderpunch.

I ask electabuzz if he wants a nickname and he gets a grin on his face.

"_I thought Thunderbug was my name?" _Another flex or two and then he acts like his back gives out. Sunny behind me starts giggling and falling over as if it was the funniest thing in the world.

"Sure. If you like it. But I know a gym leader in Hoenn named Wattson who kind of looks like an electabuzz. He's also an electric type gym leader who laughs really, really loud." Electabuzz chuckles at this then points at himself as he laughs louder. I just snicker and nod.

"_Yeah. Wattson is great. Its a pun too! Genius! Genius!"_

"_Who Mars? I'll get him for you!" _And off Sunny goes.

Training continues after that. Wattson fits in like he was here all along. With Zaela he's respectful and shows off his strength just enough to show he can take a beating. They spend a lot of time smashing rocks. With Tru he tends to tease her gently. She's blushing again in her aura.

Aurora and him play flirt for fun and confuse the hell out of Sunny.

Sunny loves him for always putting her happiness first. When they spar he dramatically falls over and refuses to hurt her unless she really gets into it. He even says no to me if he's convinced Sunny is done. I respect it. He doesn't like causing pain but he works hard.

Mars and him get along the least. Its not that they dislike each other as much as they have nothing really in common.

As for Query? He's found his new game partner. Wattson is fascinated by the board games I packed away for Query and its led to some hilarious nights before sleep.

"_That's my damn hotel! I took over Kanto with this army to buy it! And you rolled doubles twice in a row! Go to Hoenn jail!"_

"_You can't do that Wattson. I call go magikarp. That gives me the rights to the railroads and this trumps your ace of hearts. Give me three hundred pokédollars."_

"_Too late! You've triggered my trap card! I summon Ho-Oh to the field! You and your four brains can suck my-"_

"I love that you are getting along but if you curse more than me in front of Sunny I'll let you have resistance training against Zaela for the next week Wattson."

"_...your turn Query."_

"_Why thank you Wattson."_

Days go by and Wattson shows how much he appreciates it all. We're shown all his favorite places in this little bit of territory he owns and we pick up a few more evolutionary stones he's been hoarding in case he ever found some friends to make strong. That chokes me up again a bit. I promise to get him something nice for them. He waves it off but I'd already planned to eat up a lot of the money I got from Steven when we hit Goldenrod for my team.

Zaela and him bond over hunting game animals. Electabuzz are omnivores if I remember correctly but Zaela just loves that his thunderbolts partially cook her meals instantly.

Finally we're ready to head out and its just Mars and I with Wattson looking at his former home.

"_Never thought I'd leave. I hoped. But never thought I'd go back out into the world. I'm super excited Ella. Wouldn't even mind being Thunderbug. Yep. So we're going to Goldenrod eh?"_

I nod, my single eye full on him. I've dealt with my guilt in the last few weeks here. Not well. But enough for now. Its hard to carry it when he's just so happy.

"_I've heard they have electirizers there."_

Amusement now. "They do."

"_I'm not nearly as strong as anyone but Aurora. And she thrashed me the other day."_

Mars actually chuckles at that. It was pretty funny. Wattson is incredibly speedy. She tricked him with her sandstorm into committing to a rushing hammer arm. She used Magnet Rise and Ice Beam to push herself up out of the storm as he ran in just long enough for him to slide across the Ice Beam's path straight into the tree behind her.

He didn't get back up.

"So you say. You've a lot of growing with us. But ask it all the same Wattson."

The glint in his eye is there still and he pats me on the shoulder. _"I'd enjoy standing with your monsters. Get me one. I'll never let you down."_

My answer is a simple nod.

Goldenrod City

I don't like cursing from my old world but holy fucking merlin's balls is this city huge. Fuck. Okay. Got it out of my system. There is so much here its annoying. For the first time since my journey I stay at a hotel. I've got enough money. The deal with Steven didn't exactly make me insanely rich but I'm well off. Plus I've got a trump card.

Devon discounts. Now I know Silph is king in Kanto and Johto but there are ways to order from Devon and have things delivered. Its normally super expensive and you'd just go to Silph to have it cheaper here….But I have diiiiissscounts. So I'm fine waiting around here and exploring for the week or so wait I'll be having for what even with my discounts is going to take me down over half of my current money.

Its worth it. Tms. Not as many as I'd like what with the electirizer costing almost half of the total but still amazing ones. Hyper Beam is the big one. I wanted Giga Impact too but it wasn't worth it compared to the coverage I'm planning with the rest. Toxic, Fire Blast, Aerial Ace, Focus Blast, Shadow Ball. Mmm. Sexy.

I don't want to face the gym leader until after the items arrive. Not because I think I need them but because I know Wattson wants to reenter being a trained pokémon with a bang. So time to visit is the National Park which is big enough that all my pokémon can be let out. I see people with rhydon out so yes I'm going to let my whole people out thank you.

I don't care if the local Jenny starts following me around. Zaela hurts assholes only.

We attract a ton of attention including an asshole (which actually almost proves my previous statement) who offers me a _lot_ of money for some of my various family. I give him my eyesmile and ask my partners their opinion.

The scariest of the reactions in my opinion? Sunny goes completely quiet and moves away to get the Jenny. She chatters at her and leads her back. I listen to what she's saying and grin at my girl.

"Officer. This man offered to buy my family here. Sunny here would like to inform you he's a bad man and that she is very sorry that she considered feeding him to Zaela so would you please lead him away."

Jenny offers me a bit of a look but does indeed help the man go away after sputtering about how rude that is. The scary part is Sunny really did want Zaela to eat him. I'm so proud.

The park is a hit otherwise. We don't participate in the bug catching contest but do enjoy the scenery. Sunny and Wattson get into play fighting with the pokémon of a family nearby. Its growlithe and houndour pups and they are simply adorable. Probably breeders.

Query finds the part of the park with all the chess boards and we can't pry him away until its time to leave. Mars actually joins him and much to Query's disgust beats him in four different games at once.

Zaela lazes about and terrorizes wingulls who get too close but actually we end up having a fun conversation about how far we've come and who we want to brutally crush next. Dragons!

As for Tru and Aurora? They are fascinated together by the flower gardens. Tru as it offers a serene place for her to focus on her aura and Aurora because she grew up on a tundra mostly. There was nothing at all close to the vibrant colors of the flowers. They're even harder to pry away.

Its a day before my items (including my keystone finally) are set to arrive. Its when many years of training pay off for me personally and when I start to make a name for myself.

Criminal enterprises are going to happen no matter what. I'm aware of this and I won't be able to stop it all. I'm after the assholes that think they can rule the world. That said, I also haven't been hiding my team. Which I know in a city this big will attract attention. I'm not expecting it to absolutely cause an issue but Tru goes with me everywhere and no one is left behind anywhere. Even Query who heard about the game corner. How a steel behemoth can give puppy dog eyes I don't know.

More on that later.

So its morning and Tru and I are jogging around the hotel I'm staying at. I've let my aura project fade while I'm in the city and have my senses linked with hers. Thus, our combined range immediately picks up on the signatures coming to steal from me. There isn't murder, but they are definitely violent. I wait till there is a turn and toss Query's pokéball high onto a nearby roof and my boy releases out of sight. Mars' pokéball detaches from my belt with Query's psychic hold and soon my charizard is flying away.

Tru and I find an alley that we can hop over the end and wait. Query hovers over the buildings and is very careful to stay out of eyesight and at an angle the rising sun won't reflect his silver body at the coming douchebags. Six men creep around the alley and there is eagerness even if my lucario is obviously ready for combat. One trains a gun on me as two play lookout. The other three start slowly moving forward. Query has already got a hold on the few pokéballs he can sense.

"Alright girl. We know what you have. Hand them over and you get to live." He's actually telling the truth. Probably would knock me out but yeah. He doesn't want to hurt me. A couple of his friends do though.

"I don't think so. Here's my offer. Surrender now and no bones will be broken." I've got mom's face on right now. I put my eyepatch forward, exuding menace with my aura. Tru simply shifts her gravity down and waits.

One of the men scoffs and the others are professional enough not to laugh but they're all amused except the leader. He's angry that he hast to hurt me now.

"Fine. No time. Sorry girlie."

Tru doesn't wait for him. Shifting into speed she darts forward slamming her spiked fist into the man whose gun isn't working. Query can concentrate on a lot these days. Others try to pull pokéballs but the find them plucked from their grasp.

One shows how smart he is as he immediately begins to try to flee but Query set up reflect screens that can handle Momma's attacks up and there is nowhere to run.

Me? I was trained for years by mom and Tru to fight. Its time to finally get myself some action. If this were against a pokémon Query would have pulled me up to the roof without my permission and damn the scolding later. Not that I'd argue. I'm not ready for a pokémon. Against these clowns? Time to see if my project worked as well as I hoped.

How do lucario tank the damage they can endure? Some of it is typing but Tru took Momma's attacks and used it to counter. The answer, as always, is aura bullshit. So my project? Its based after an idea I got from an anime. Its not even that hard to think of.

Tru naturally makes herself tougher with aura just by breathing. I can do the same with effort. I'm still a human and not up to what I think is a Guardian's level. But maybe I'm getting there. Since before we faced Momma anytime I wasn't healing my pokémon I've been running my aura through my body as if I were in combat until it felt natural.

Yes. Dragonball Z. Yay Goku and Gohan. I've been keeping myself at would normally be my peak combat form. Everyday. Its not been fun but as I dash forward and slide down and under as Tru would have as a riolu the snap of this man's leg as I put all the force of falling into my punch is sooooo satisfying. Zaela rubbed off on me ages ago.

The scream startles the fuck out of the next guy so that he doesn't see Tru already sending an aura sphere his way. Its powered down or he'd die but it takes him out as she finishes off the first guy. No moves. Just a smack to the temple. Three down.

The smart guy who tried to leave raises his hands in surrender as the other two prove their stupidity by trying to raise guns. They're fast, but again, trained against Tru for years. I duck behind Tru as she rushes forward and we each pick a target. Query keeps the guns from firing but just as I've made sure to train my team to be safe I respect that they want me to as well.

Tru's kick crushes her target into the wall and I do something potentially stupid but trial by fire and all that. I take the guy's kick, roll with it and attempt Counter. It works surprisingly well but I also wince at Query's mental pulse of annoyance with me. This is a counter from a regular human (if adult) so its nothing to brag about but it still puts him down as my fist drives into his gut enough to crumple him over.

The whole thing lasted a matter of seconds and I'm breathing very, very hard. Query floats down to gather them all up, even smarty pants, off against the wall and brings in the reflect screens. I raise my hand shakily to my hair and rearrange it to distract myself as Tru puts her paw on my shoulder.

Then its waiting. Smart guy tries to open his mouth but all it gets is a dark glare from my lucario. Query busies himself by gathering pokéballs and weapons and I release Wattson.

"We were attacked. Mars should be leading the police back here but if you could stand down the street a bit and send off a few flashes that'd be great?"

Wattson looks over at the douchebags and lets out an electric whine that sounds like violence. Smarty pants 'eeps' and tries to get deeper into the wall he's against. Smiling faintly I carefully pat Wattson before nodding towards the street. This is the most silent he's been since we met. Yep. Very angry.

Its about ten minutes later when the sirens meet us. Found out later Mars landed right at a Jenny's feet, startling the crap out of her and getting her ready to _do_ something until he sat down, held up a hand and started scratching a message at her feet. I've been spoiled but I guess most pokémon don't read and write. Huh.

A police trained hypno gets the whole story from us and we're off to the station to get statements and annoying time wasting talks. Nothing bad for us just making sure they got all they need. Its pretty straight forward and about the only thing that I was asked was why I didn't just fly away. My response was this.

"Ma'am. I'm of Blackthorn. We make sure things end if its a problem. If I flew away there would be no proof of what they would have done. Plus I'm training to be an aura guardian. This is what we do." There was disbelief there and the woman across from me was about to lay into me before you guessed it, aura hand waving in her face. You might wonder why this is acceptable behavior. As I did get off scot free. They send kids off at ten. With giant huge monsters.

I got a warning but secretly the Jenny was impressed. Plus as I'd hope from the start that my lucario was so obviously loyal gave me huge points. [Future Ella here. My name got spread among some police and I'd get a nod or two later that week. Jenny tend to gossip about crazy stories. Mine was one. I'd get recognized in other cities by the end of my journey in Johto. Hard to miss the eyepatch girl with a lucario.]

Most of my team was alright with what happened though Aurora scolded me for days. She didn't care that I was doing what I always planned to do. She actually would have preferred if I sent Mars and Zaela to maul them to death before they even showed up. Hey. Even if she didn't have to fight back in her original days it was a much more savage time. If someone crossed you they died.

I loved her for it though. Sunny didn't get the danger but the rest of the team did and they'd signed up for it. I despair for the day Sunny realizes that her family will become even bigger killers. I pray constantly she won't ever have to make the choice, threatening that man at the park aside.

The next day the shipment came and everyone got new toys. Hyper beam went to Aurora, Query, Zaela and Mars for now. Toxic went to Sunny(she needs a way to take a stronger foe out even if its over time)Mars, Tru and Query. Fire Blast went to Zaela and Mars. Focus Blast was Mars, Tru and Query for now. Probably Wattson after he evolved. Aerial Ace to Mars and Zaela. And Shadow Ball to Query, Tru and Sunny. Also managed to find time that week to get Zaela a stupidly expensive riding saddle. Its made out of what I think is the kevlar equivalent here. Zaela's skin is that damaging.

Before I get into the bit important thing that is Wattson lets go to Query and the game corner. Short story short. They don't let walking super computers play the games. I'm not surprised. Query even offered not to take any money just so he can play. They cited no room for his size and I promised to play whatever he wanted for a week for an hour or so each night as he dragged his feet while we walked away. Poor guy.

So an electivire can evolve in two ways. Long exposure to electricity in the wild. Like...Days worth almost. A huge storm is needed and they have to call just enough to push them into the next level and not enough to kill them. Or a legendary could do it I suppose. Fine. Three ways then. The electirizer (third way!) cost so much because of how much power it takes to pack into it and the materials its made of. Lots of containment things I don't understand. Frankly I doubt I could have afforded it for years without mom trying to crush the balls of Joseph Stone.

Now you don't need to trade to activate it. That's Nintendo trying to sell two pokémon games. All it takes is handing it to your electabuzz.

"Sure you want this right now? You're pretty tough and we can wait if you want to stay this form longer." I meant it. We had plenty of time for him to make this choice. We were outside of Goldenrod. Nowhere in the city felt right to witness this.

"_Aww. I like how you're being nice but really. I want this quite a bit. Gotta be able to stand with you all. Or bounce with Sunny as it is."_

"_You're wise. Bouncing is fun. Will you be better at it all grown up. More grown up? Or do you shrink when you evolve? I've nev-"_

"_Sunny. Later. You don't want to miss this."_

"_Fiiiiine Aurora."_

Smiling a bit more I move my hand forward. My guilt has faded to a dull ache that probably will come and snap at me when I least expect it but for now? This is going to be another amazing memory of this world I love. Dropping the yellow device into his hand I stand back as the bright white glow of evolution shines over my family.

Wattson has only been with us a short time but he's definitely loved already. The easy nature and delight he gives us daily makes us all very happy for him as he grows. Somewhat wiry muscles turn into giant turbines to run his great power. Two thick electric cords pull out from him to hover behind him like tails and his body grows massive to join most of my team in being so much taller than me.

Once the glow fades and we can see his ever present grin as he waves his arms about, well, Sunny dashes forward to hug him and I'm not far behind. Huffing with laughter he chortles and brings us in.

He's home.

* * *

Thunderbug

Hey. You! You with the hair! Yeah I'm talking to you! I've got my eye on you!

Get it! Cause you don't have one! Hah! Oh shut up Query. You know she doesn't care.

I think like Sunny I don't get this. We just need to have an easy night and joke around. All this smart emotional shit can work itself out if we're just together. Leave the concern to Angel and Aurora. They're the ones who understand all the tear crap.

Alright alright. I remember when you offered me a place with the team. We got all mushy. It was good. But this isn't that! This was one fight. We got knocked down and lost things. But _we're_ still here. Us.

I'm selfish in that I want us to survive over everyone. Dislike me for it but tough. I care about us more than others. Especially Sunny. Everyone here would turn into true monsters for her. Not the ones you jokingly call us.

I love you Query but this is going about it wrong. For you? Sure. It'll touch her but from some of is this isn't the best way. We'll do it because we all love you Query, even Tass. Shut it ghostface. You do. You wouldn't tease him as much if you didn't.

Yea that shut you up didn't it?

For Sunny and I? We'd hug you Ella. Make you smile and find a good place to let it out then go on with our lives. You're a doer love. You go out and grab the world. You might write it down in that journal of yours but its only after you've kicked ass and taken names.

Damn I love the phrases you give me of your old world. What a trip when you told us that. Oh and fuck your guilt about your choices. My life was mine. Not yours. It still isn't. I chose to be here and while my old trainer let me go I could have tried hard to stay with her.

She wasn't right for me. This family is. So cheer up! I heard you got a hot date coming up. Yeaaaaaaah. Ella gonna _get_ some. Mmhmm. Seriously though. I'd really try to get that. You know you deserve to be happy. Query thinks they're your mate.

They don't have to be if you don't want. Can just have fun and live a little for yourself. Ever since we've met you've given and given and given. Never been selfish that I can see that would cause harm.

So go out and have a blast. We can be all super serious later I promise. Be fucking heroes.

Ugh. Sunny is right. This does bring you down. Fuck Query. What's your problem?

Well. I don't know what to say. Oy. Think Tru likes chocolate? Its our anniversary soon as you well know. She always is so secretive about what she does for me. You said women love chocolate right?

Ah well. Not sure what to do. If needed I'll just speak from the heart. I already knew how to do that before I met you all.

But you made it easy as pie.

Alright Ella. Some of your sayings are weird. Pie is hard to make if I remember the one time Sunny and Aurora got it in there head to try.

Yeah Query! I get to ramble now that its my turn!

So hold on. Everyone else knew you before you had just one peeper. Were you different then or did you go through some giant mental anguish about it? Shut the fuck up Query. This is my question to her. Just tune out your brain. Brains.

No really. I want to know. Not to bring up bad memories but maybe if you went through it back then the memory of getting through that now could help you.

Yeah! See Meta-bud I do know what I'm doing. Psh.

So hopefully that thought helps. Got nothing else right now. Just that I love yah. Come back happier. Cause if not Sunny will pout so hard and that ruins everyone's day. Gonna go see if I can get Tru to tell me what she wants. Geeze that woman.

I'm flexing now by the way. Hah!

* * *

**Welcome Wattson. Who is utterly based on my favorite Hoenn gym leader. Plus seriously he looks kind of like an electabuzz. Quick evolution for him but his story was always going to be about being abandoned and to fuck with our dear MC.**

**Because honestly would you think about how some of her family get super strong moves? This guy obviously had some training. He's going to become a powerhouse real quick. Electivire are cool! Saw a bit of Ella becoming a personal bad ass. Still slow going but regular humans one on one won't threaten her without serious skills as long as she has her team's support.**

**Got a gym leader who didn't pay attention to Ella's mom and a trip to school!**

**Next chapter is Goldenrod's gym battle and a few other things. Number eight won't be for another few chapters if not longer. Ella'll have all but team member 12 before the conference though unless something changes. Onto the team!**

* * *

**_**1- Zaela the King Garchomp (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Adamant**__

**_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, Double Team, Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, Rain Dance, Mud-Slap, Dual Chop, Slash, Dragon Claw, **_**__**Draco Meteor, Dragon Rush, Earthquake, **__**_**Stone Edge, **_**__**Crunch, **__**_**Fire Blast, Aerial Ace, Hyper Be**_**__**am**__

**_**Combination Moves: Furnace (Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit)**_**

**_**Pain Whirl (Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and Rock Slide with a helping of Mud-Slap. Confuse them in a tornado made of giant pain rocks)**_**

**_**Grinder- Earthquake and Earth Power to simultaneously disrupt movement and provide a sharp incline to speed up Dragon Rush and manually activate Stealth Rocks. Rock Slide to subtly hammer Stealth Rocks towards vital points. Very tiring.**_**

**_**Ella's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_**

**_**2- Query the Shiny Metagross**_**__** (Identifies Male)**__

__**Ability: Clear Body**__

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

**_**Moves: Iron Head, Iron Defense, Take Down, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Psych Up, Gravity, Ally Switch, Miracle Eye , Scary Face, Brick Break, Meteor Mash, Agility, Magnet Rise, Return, Reflect, Double Team, Light Screen, **_**__**Rock Smash, Hammer Arm. Pursuit, **__**_**Hammer Arm, **_**__**Toxic, Shadow Ball, Hyper **__**_**Beam, Focus Blast**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Psi-Fist - A method of psychic manipulation of an opponents gravity and self to make critical hits happen. A variety of punches/strikes with heavy but small piercing-like psychic stabs to balance points.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Two- Constant mind/emotion reading to adapt to attack patterns and psychological weaknesses. Low level confusion waves to occlude and disrupt senses and to influence terror or caution depending on level of threat as well as psychological profile. Can currently use two dedicated brains for state two. Three deemed too detrimental to combat ability.**_**

**_**3- Truthseeker(Tru) the Lucario (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Inner Focus, **_**__**Justified (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Serious**__

**_**Moves: Foresight, Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Detect, Cross Chop, Bite, Mind Reader, High Jump Kick, Agility, Vacuum Wave, Crunch, Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash, Copycat, Rock Smash, Force Palm, **_**__**Aura Sphere, Heal Pulse, Power-Up Punch, Me First, Calm Mind, **____**Extremespeed, Toxic, Focus Blast, Shadow Bal**__**_**l, **_**__**Thunderpunc**__**_**h**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Heal Sphere- Aura Sphere made with heal pulse energy. Very aura intensive but serves as a long range critical heal.**_**

__**EMT- Bullet Punch or Me First(Depends on move) to target who is attacking ally. Counter if needed while second hand is using Heal Pulse. High Jump Kick away if Quick Attack is not fast enough. Looking into Substitute, Extremespeed and Quick Guard for increased effectiveness.**__

**_**4- Sunshine(Sunny) the Sylveon (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Cute Charm, **__**_**Pixilate (Hidden)**_**

__**Nature: Quirky**__

__**Moves: Fake Tears, Tickle, Wish, Yawn, Stored Power, Tackle, Helping Hand, Baby-Doll Eyes, Fairy Wind, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Swifty, Moonblast, Refresh, Draining Kiss, Light Screen, Misty Terrain, Skill Swap, Reflect, Safeguard, Round, **____**Shadow Ball, To**__**_**xic**_**

__**Special Moves: Talk no jutsu. Seriously. Okay not seriously. Just couldn't resist the joke.**__

**_**5- Mars the Shiny Charizard**_**__** (Male)**__

**_**Ability: Blaze**_**

**_**Nature: Lonely**_**

__**Moves: **__**_**Ancient Power, Flare Blitz, Scratch, Ember, Dragon Dance, Air Cutter, Crunch, Bite, Beat Up, Dragon Rush, Dragon Pulse, Slash, Fire Fang, Dragon Rage, Flame Burst, Flamethrower, Metal Claw, Smokescreen, Wing Attack, **_****_**Fire Blast, Thunderpunch, Hyper Beam, Toxic, Focus Blas**_**__**t**__

**_**Combination Moves(Self Taught): Dragon Blitz-High speed directed attack. A fully boosted by Dragon Dance Flare Blitz combined with a Dragon Rush that can be changed mid attack by using an enforced claw with Slash and Metal Claw to dig into nearby surfaces to a new direction. **_**__**Wing Attack and Air Cutter to achieve similar effects in air. Steel Wing desired. Double Team to be added for confusion once completely mastered. Possible Beat Up Clones when team exceeds six members.**__

**_**Smoke Boost- Dragon Dance while setting up favorable terrain with Ancient Power and hoping for more buffs while covered in a Smokescreen. Double Team and Beat Up to be added later.**_**

__**Firewall- Flame Bursts tossed up high and fed with a directional Air Cutter. Flamethrower added immediately after Flame Burst. Able to use without Blaze but cannot sustain it while moving without ability activation. Ancient Power to be added in slowly. Rock Slide an alternative if learnt.**__

**_**6- Aurora the Amaura**_**__** (Female)**__

**_**Abilities: Refrigerate, Snow Warning (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Modest**_**

**_**Moves: Powder Snow, Thunder Wave, Haze, Barrier, Mirror Coat, Sandstorm, Hail, Magnet Rise, Discharge, Rock Throw, Mist, Icy Wind, Ice Beam, Round, Ancient Power, Aurora Beam, Avalanche, **_****_**Thunderbolt, Hyper Beam**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Storm Defense: Ability activation, Sandstorm and Barrier. Omni-Directional Discharge if any non-ground types enter the field.**_**

__**7- **____**Wattson(Thunderbug) the Ele**____**c**____**tivire**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Motor Drive**__

__**Nature: Jolly**__

__**Moves: **____**Thunder Shock, Cross Chop, Thunderbolt, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Focus Punch, Low Kick, Rolling Kick, Meditate, Dynamic Punch, Light Screen, Barrier, Thunderpunch, Discharge, Thunder, Shock Wave**____**, Focus Blast, Toxic**__

__**8- Joker, Dark one the ? (Male)**__

**_**Possibly the most dangerous. Also a close friend of Query.**_**

**_**9- Angel**_**__** the ? (Female)**__

__**Dedicated healer and transportation specialist. No jokes here. She's the best.**__

__**10- Ghost Tass the ? (Male)**__

__**Not much known. Other than he's got stereotypical ghost ideas. In other words, can be an ass. Also possibly dangerous. But seriously. Ghost. Big duh. But actually isn't all bad! Gotcha! Uses suffering to heal in some way, somehow.**__

__**11- Water Maiden the ? (Female)**__

__**Tank of some variety. Prideful as fuck.**__

**_**12- Legend the ? (Female)**_**

_****Literally a legendary. Seriously. Its happening. Ella's ultimate goal for proof of her path to the world. Loses to Zaela a lot supposedly. For now. Possibly psychic or some mental ability.****_


	9. Ch 9- Adept and Firsts

**Welcome! Back for another chapter I just couldn't stop thinking about. A lot of big things for the future happen here! And another perspective at the end of someone important to the future. Not much else to say! To the reviews! Which I haven't really said but they've inspired me more and more. The encouragement has done wonders for my muse. So the deepest of thanks beyond the ones I already give.**

**Alakrux- Wattson is a big goof and writes himself. Lots of humor with him this chapter. Some fairly high level action today. One fairly even fight then likely a harsh, but needed, beat down. Hope you enjoy and thank you as always.**

**frankieu- I was super excited for Zaela to curb stomp a Gym Leader who didn't believe Hannah. Not sure if I'll write another Leader making that mistake but was fun to imagine how _pissed_ she was. Zaela will get her true challenges in time. Ella's guilt, deserved or not, will come up every once and a while but this won't become an angst fest. Plus poppa Query has got that shit on lock down. The letters from the team were his idea after all. Thank you for reading!**

**Blaze2121- Ella will definitely be catching more pokémon than the fated. Probably won't be training more than her fated though. She's got _plans_ for Ash and her Guardians which'll lead to her seeking out strong companions. However, she never, ever wants to be parted from her family unless needed and while I've done away with the six member aspect of the games there is a limit to how many she can give attention to. (And myself feel I can write well) So the twelve are her partners. But! This chapter will have some of her non-caught pokémon friends. So good question! Thanks for reading.**

**zubhanwc3- Thanks for your kind words and indeed your critique. I appreciate both. This story wrote itself in my head this way and alas I can't imagine it otherwise. But! If/when I write another one it won't be a journal. I am sorry for the difficulty but thankful you read it anyway. As for the legendary? I highly considered spoiling it because of an upcoming event that fits in sooooo well with her eventual legendary. Can't decide yet. I will however say it is not the lord of the skies. Would be pretty fucking cool if it were though.**

**To the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything pokémon. Just my oc's.**

* * *

Adept

Goldenrod

Getting Wattson used to his new body was somewhat easy as these things go. Electric types have some of the easiest control out of any type of pokémon. Most of how they interact with their power is sorta like dimming a light or increasing the brightness. They then affect their attacks by way of nodes or sharp points on their bodies. Wattson has both his two new tails and the node-thingies (no idea what to call them and Wattson just laughed and said that 'node thingies' was the technical term. The ass.) to control where he wants something to go. Everything else is just a matter of voltage or so he describes it.

Zaela was the test subject due to immunity and it was glorious to see. Wattson has such a wide range of physical moves but almost all were perfected before we met. All in all there was a lot of learning the new TM moves for the whole team going on. Toxic was particularly hard for those who got it. Sunny actually did the best. She just channeled 'mean thoughts' and got it down faster than Mars….Who again perfected every other move the fastest.

A refrigerated Hyper Beam is all I could have hoped for. Focus Blast has been the biggest issue for Query and to a lesser extent Wattson. Tru of course dealt with the fighting energy attack suuuuuuper easy. Her and Mars started taking over helping the others.

Sunny has found a new game with Shadow Ball. With Tru of all things. They basically play dodge ball with lower level versions of it and score points on most dramatic dodges. Wattson thought it up as motivation for Sunny to learn the attack. My bottle of Sunshine is slowly starting to get more determined in battle because of Wattson. The encouragement he gives and the way he shows her that you can find fun in it are changing her mind even more.

He really fits in well.

Aurora is getting closer to evolution I think. She's been with us for over a year and my won knowledge tells me the way her trunk is growing and the fins on her head mean she's getting closer. Amaura level slowly but it shouldn't be more than a few more months as I can see. Once she evolves I think Zaela's going to find someone to challenge her. It'll be the giant type advantage but still. She needs someone one on one to give her a run for things. Their friendship is still gaining momentum though.

Zaela is definitely the example of strength for our group. The pinnacle we all push ourselves towards. But Aurora cuts through that feeling and just mothers her in a way Momma never did. Some of it bemuses my starter. Like how Aurora asks how she feels and seeks to understand her but it also is cherished as only really myself treats her in any sort of softer way. Of course she wouldn't accept that from anyone but me until Aurora. Just something about our time-lost girl that sets everyone at ease.

Tru is subtly excited for the next gym battle. My Truthseeker has come so far from the prideful girl that I had so much difficulty with in our year of getting to know each other. Patience has become what she's known for and it shows. Wild pokémon have started visiting our camps to talk to her. She settles disputes, helps them figure out a bit of training and heals injuries constantly. I'm extremely proud of her and she can't help but smile at me whenever she feels that.

Having lost so much to Mars in the National Park last week my boy has been badgering, as much as he would, Mars constantly for more games against him. Query never really minded losing when we still played video games together with my dad in Blackthorn but something about Mars defeating him while he was using all his brains at once has made him stubborn about a rematch.

Mars is still kicking his ass. Zaela finds it beyond hilarious as Mars is utterly indifferent to Query's continued frustration. From the few times I wake up in the night and find the ever watchful Query having three of his brains continuously running out ways to beat Mars. My poor boy. Still funny though.

Not much else to say about Sunny. She's still running around excited with the world. Helping the wild pokémon with Tru was a pleasure to watch. Ursaring known to go on rampages end up following her around to pick berries she can't reach for a giant slushy party she set up on our last day in the clearing we found to train up Wattson. There are no real ice types around here so seeing the faces of these random pokémon light up at the treats Aurora has gotten so proficient at making was a joy. Query says he'll make a sculpture of it later. Since he has perfect recall I'm pretty excited when we have time to let him work.

Mars has been pretty focused. I wish he'd have a bit more fun but then again his emotions scream contentment anytime he comes up with an idea for the future. We're going to Alto Mare right after the Gym Battle. He rightly pointed out that flying away from Goldenrod without a reliable teleporter would waste a lot of time to go back towards Alto Mare after we finished our run in Blackthorn.

So boat time after the Plain Badge. One last thing before we get to that. Just a bit of life during camp one of the last nights there that eventually leads to some hilarity on the boat a few days after we get our win.

"Yes. I know a fair number of stories about the sea. I tend to real a lot." And watched a ton of movies in my last life."

"_Well come on! Lets hear a few. Good and bad. Its always good to get a tad scared at times."_

"_Wah! No it isn't Wattson! That's the first stupid thing you've said since we met!"_

"_Oh Sunny. You're very brave when you have to me. A slightly scary story will not hurt you."_

"_Aurora is right. I doubt Mistress would tell us anything that is likely to occur anyway. Our luck has gotten much better."_

"_Way to jinx us Tru. Mother. I'm curious as well. Tell us a story." _Maybe this is an interest I can set into Mars? He's got a good imagination. Maybe I can get him to read stories or make them up to tell us at nights.

"Fine fine. Sorry Sunny. Wattson asked first so I'm going to tell him what he likes. You are most welcome to go bother Query over there if you don't want to hear it. I won't think less of you."

"_No! I'm a brave girl. I'll sit and listen!" _She immediately covers her eyes with her ribbons and partially hides her body behind Aurora a bit.

I paraphrase a lot but Titanic actually comes off well. By the end of it Sunny is leaning forward to hear the sad end, her lip quivering as Aurora struggles not to keep in her laughter at the sight. Mars is actually quite enraptured, probably because I recall telling him stories when he hatched. And sang a bit too. Alright. Ideas for making less of a serious boy.

"_That's so sad! At least she found something else in life later! Sorry Mom. That was a good story. And I was brave! See!" _Cue the 'thinking dance' I associate with her thinking hard about a concept. Pacing and such. Sadly whatever she was about to tell us is interrupted by Wattson.

"_That wasn't sad! It was amazing! Bam! Drama! Whoosh! Fist fights! Rawr! Musical idiots going down with the ship! I'm pumped! ZAELA! We're gonna wreck shit!"_

From then on Wattson badgered me for epic stories. Didn't matter if they were sad or not. Just if they had something he found amazing. Which translated to him having to do something epic in response.

Oh boy.

The Goldenrod Gym is pretty impressive in its simplicity. I think its different than the one in the anime. Can't remember it too well and I think I'm fine with that. This is my true life. I'm so blessed with joy I can't describe it.

Wow. Where did that come from? Tru gave me a wavering smile at my emotion and I returned it.

Argh. Back to the gym. Wattson, Tru and Query are set for this due to their experience with fighting abilities. If it is more than a three on three it'll go Mars next, Aurora and finally Zaela. Sunny didn't feel up to fighting today so she's gathered wildflowers to wave around as we battle in support. Its been a while since she's done that so we're kind of pumped.

This receptionist recognizes me. Sunny is slowly walking while carefully keeping her bundles of flowers together and Tru just gazes calmly about the cream colored building. None of the Gyms so far have had convoluted puzzles to go through like the games. When I have had to face gym trainers its always been in the main room and they go one by one.

"Ah. Ms. Mita. Mr. Howard has been expecting you any day. I must say hearing of the thugs you apprehended has set up quite the buzz in the gym. Please let me see your pokédex briefly and you can head on in." Huh. So my name did get around. Makes sense. Gyms are often called on to help with the police. Why waste a source of well trained, powerful pokémon?

Tru tilts her head at the man and I wonder what she's feeling. My aura project is still going on until I can't feel the strain of holding it to reinforce my body. Probably a few more months from what Tru and I can tell. Stepping into the main battle room makes me laugh a bit inside. It really is plain.

Sunny sets up her cheering section next to the referee who comes in. To his credit he just shrugs and takes his place while doing his best to ignore the usual joy from my sylveon. We only wait a few more minutes for a somewhat tall man with the biggest grin to enter followed by a girl around my age. Whitney. I recognize that hair. Holy shit did she wreck me the first time I played Silver.

Some defeats you just don't forget.

"Hey! Hannah's gal! Hope you don't mind if my niece here watches the fight. I'm Milton Howard." He's got one of those over the top mustaches that looks like it could jump off his face and bark at me. But he's very friendly and Whitney gives me an excited wave I return. Good people. They don't comment on my black and blue eyepatch nor seem to care. Tru-colors today. Oh. I need to get one in Wattson colors as well as the colors of the rest of my eventual teammates. I'll do that before we leave.

"Right! Excited. Got some strong fellows for yah but I have a feeling you'll be earning my badge anyway. Whitney, go on and keep her sylveon company." Whitney just grins and skips on over to make baby talk at Sunny who eats it up and starts showing off the flowers she's brought.

"This will be a three on three battle between Ella Mita of Blackthorn and Gym Leader Milton Howard. The challenger may substitute only. Begin!"

Without me saying anything Tru hops into the arena. Us trainers are in a booth that isn't that far off the floor. Milton releases a mammoth of an Ursaring that gives a near Zaela level of anger roar. Tru pulses determination as she springs forward in Extremespeed and sets up the new combo that she and Query have been working on to bastardize Psi-Fist's second stage for her at least a little. Calm Mind, Detect and Mind Reader mean the first two massive slashes miss her by inches as her eyes close. The dance is magical to watch as she starts weaving around within the giant bear's guard to get the flow of him.

She doesn't attack until she knows what she wants and then its her new move. Its not anything she can yet combo with but Ursaring is so enraged that he takes it head on. Close Combat is brutal though and I wince at the impacts. Thick hide and muscle or not the impacts are driven by Query's long history of learning weak spots of pokémon anatomy. He spent a lot of time reading Joy's medical books and taught Tru his methods as best he could.

Ursaring tanks it with a giant roar of pain and uses the reckless way Close Combat works to pound my aura partner into the ground before she can react. The impact sounds horrid but not as much as the Counter she uses. Spinning at impact with the floor she kicks hard at Urasring's legs and flips him.

He does not appreciate this. Both take a bit longer to get up but he's fuuuuucking pissed. Strategy goes out the door as I pale a bit. Energy I am familiar with from Sunny power up the bear's fists and then light on fire. In probably the most physically destructive combo I've seen yet Milton's bear uses Fire Punch, Play Rough and Fury Swipes at the same time.

My breath hitches as I truly fear for Tru. She starts dodging with millimeters to spare trying desperately to use new combo Reader to not get hit. Sadly its too new and my lucario is slammed across the floor. Sunny lets out a cry as she slides into a heap at my feet. My hand reaches to her ball but she springs up a moment later with a harsh groan and clutching an arm. Ursaring is already on his way, hurt, but anger overriding his pain.

Tru doesn't panic though and her hand blazes with power as she forces an Extremespeed to the side to dodge. She blitzes across the room two more times to charge her attack which is more than an aura sphere. Ursaring calms just enough to shoot what look like Seed Bombs at my lucario. She dodges barely and just looks unimpressed.

Ursaring snaps and his mouth opens in what is obviously a Hyper Beam. It charges faster than any of my team can currently and I get ready just in case. I believe in Tru but I'll not risk her health. I shouldn't have worried.

Tru shifts her hurt arm that she's been steadily pulsing Heal Pulse against a small Protect screen in that method she learned from Joy's lucario all those years ago. Ignoring the pain she Bullet Punches forward and once again is in ursaring's guard. Showing that she hasn't been slacking the Focus Blast she was preparing tosses the bear into the psychic shields hard enough to make them flicker in distress. The giant bear crashes to the floor a moment later, out.

Tru is already falling forward as I return her. Holy shit.

Whitney just gapes at the damage to the field and she and Sunny both hopping up and down, cheering as Milton and I turn to each other with a matching grin. A lopunny is released onto the field and Sunny cheers even louder as Wattson comes out. His words make me facepalm though.

"_Woooooooo! Hell yeah! Allllright!"_

I shouldn't have told them the story of Aquaman last night.

Milton's lopunny just tilts her head as Wattson crashes his fists together and starts off at his unnatural speed. With how big and bulky he looks its all the bunny can do to dodge a massive cross chop. Wattson just whoops some more in joy and a discharge makes my hair stand on end as he pulses it across the whole field. There's no dodging that so lopunny takes the damage and hops forwards, two ears jabbing out at my newest family member in mega punches.

Wattson tanks them with a laugh of joy and ice punches followed by fire punches and sneaky thunder punches show how happy he is that the bunny chose to stay in close combat. Wattson must have been studying with Aurora as he pulses a surprise thunder wave with a 'hah!' but lopunny must have limber as it washes right over it. Taking a battering she bounces high and a way to shine with a defense curl and pulse agility to try to close the speed gap.

Wattson just chuckles and tosses out thunderbolts that cause us all to cover our ears. Lopunny takes two with admirable effort and reluctantly, if their faces means anything, shifts into a dig.

That's a big mistake. Query's trick of negating a lot of the damage earthquake can do has only gotten more effective. Since Wattson is even more vulnerable to it he and Query have worked on a devastating way to counter ground moves that he can see coming. For dig which is slower than most? I wince ahead of time.

Chortling in anticipation Wattson causes the lights to flicker as he hits himself with a Thunder with visible ease. Motor Drive activates and his tails spark madly. When lopunny attempts to come up from behind with a dig enhanced mega punch they take a Motor Drive boosted Focus Punch that shatters the ground. Everyone stumbles as if Wattson used Earthquake and all that can be heard is him yelling out in joy.

"_Get some! Yeah! Who's back and badder than ever! Me that's how! Oy good fight. Shit. Sorry. I might have hit you a bit hard. You! Hairy face! Get this bunny some help stat! I know I kicked ass but your mon needs medical attention!"_

Face meet palm. Again.

Of course Milton is just staring blankly as Wattson carefully extracts lopunny from the crater. Milton returns his partner, eye twitching as Wattson crosses his arms and nods in satisfaction.

"Right. Last one. Then I think we have to repair. A lot."

Wincing at that I look to Wattson. He's a-okay and definitely solidified his position as one of my strongest pokémon but he sees my unspoken question and grins. He gives Sunny and Whitney a thumbs up before being recalled.

What comes next is what I was hoping for. The titan of destruction. The haunter of my dreams. I was hoping against hope for this. Miltank. The true threat to the world. Seriously though I want payback.

Query was very amused at my thoughts on this. Thus he requested this fight if it came. I was going to use him anyway. My shiny metagross makes Milton raise his eyebrow and Whitney gasp in delighted shock even as she jumps around more with Sunny. Some of Sunny's flowers are scattered on the long suffering ref but my eye is on the miltank.

The moment I saw Whitney I was hoping against hope that her uncle would be the cause of her destroyer of dreams. And he is. The miltank immediately curls into Rollout and Defense Curl at the same time. Query has been training like mad with a certain move just for this fight. Agility is already humming but from the speed Miltank is going at it wouldn't be enjoy for Psi-Fist to truly make its mark.

So Query uses Pursuit, over and over again. The cow of doom is unfortunately (for miltank) not able to outrun my metagross. If lopunny were out there Query would have a rough time keeping up. Instead the most feared cow is treated to Rock Smashes to lower her defense, psychic spears to push against her momentum and Bullet Punch Meteor Mashes that have almost no loss of attack from shifting mid swing. A brilliant attempt to use Bide to put the hurt on Query is ignored as dual point blank Focus Blasts are switched to immediately. There is very little chance of them missing that close and they don't.

Then Query hits Psi-Fist Stage 2. Its finally ready for anyone. Flash has become deadly with stage 2. Not only does he pulse out confusion waves but he starts targeting parts of his body with flash the more likely they are to be in his opponent's face. The reflective nature of his body makes this more brutal as we watch a hulking, fast behemoth spin his dazed, confused and utterly off balance opponent with impunity. The rapid uses of Flash almost match a strobe light going out of control and everyone has to avert their gazes.

If that weren't enough Toxic was used in the first Pursuit and hidden by the dark glow of the move's activation. Milk drink is attempted and foiled as Query reverses gravity and then its pounding the poor cow into the floor in a manner I'm certain is going to make my boy famous someday. Its too much damage in an impressively short time. The terror falls. As Milton recalls his last pokémon I again am amazed at how far Query has come. Even against my King garchomp he can hold his own in close combat.

"Well. Crap. That was impressive. Forgive me if I'm a bit lost. Thought it would be a bit more even on the last one." Miltank was my nightmare! Deal with it!

Milton regains his good humor as he spots his nice with Sunny's ribbons in her hands as they jump about in a circle around the pouting ref. We carefully make our away around the shattered ground and I laugh internally that out of all my pokémon its my electric one that has done the most damage ever save the fight with Momma.

"I've been training for years and years. Thank you for taking me seriously." Milton just chuckles and tosses me my plain badge.

"You too kid. Ursaring seemed all bloodthirsty but he had fun. This'll drive him to train harder. The others too. I've gotta go get a crew ready to clean this up. Do me a favor and wreck a few other gyms would yah? Make me feel better."

Its easy to nod a promise to that as he passes me. Whitney and Sunny come tearing up as I recall Query who was just basking in his victory. "Oh my gosh! How do you have such strong friends?! You look my age! That was amazing! Your slyveon is so cute! Where did you get a shiny pokémon?"

I more or less let her babble a bit until she gives me a chance to respond. "Seems like I've been training since birth and my friends with me. Though Wattson my electrivire has actually only been with us about a month. Helps that he was already so strong when we met. The rest is hard work and dedication. Plus my mom is the Blackthorn Gym Leader. I had a lot of advantages."

My eye goes to Sunny who is humming a tune she describes as 'mega victory' or rather the FF victory theme I told her it meant I won a game. "As for Sunny she found me and we've never been parted." Cue purring and rubbing against my legs. "As for Query? Well he did the same. Huh. Happened to a few of my partners. Nice to meet you by the way. Ella."

Taking my hand and rushing it up and down makes her even more excited. I cite needing to get Tru to a pokémon center and she offers to take me. Its nice to talk to her. Kind of like a human Sunny. This was a great day.

Sea

I'm leaving the plotting of course to Mars and Zaela now. Mars might be able to deduce things quickly but Zaela knows where she is at almost always. Direction, landscape. She has a knack for memorizing things quickly. We're not yet confident enough to fly to Alto Mare so the boat it is. Which also leads to some interesting training.

Did you know that garchomp can learn surf journal-kun? I forgot. So Zaela has been swimming like mad next to our boat for most of the trip. She's no beginner when it comes to unpleasant training but she particularly hated this until I idly told her that tentacruel don't give a shit what they fight and are regularly know to try to attack any boat or creature in the sea.

My shark dragon grinned wide and large. Wattson joined her in a bonding smack down of asshole jellyfish that had them laughing together about it for hours. Of course all the other passengers were rightfully scared of my giant dragon off the side and the booming laughter of my huge electric type until the captain in the nicest way I've seen someone say 'fuck you' told them that if they'd like to go in the water and drive of the hostile pokémon he'd happily tell me to return my two friends.

So yeah. Fun training. Aurora stayed out the most with me besides Zae and Wattson. Tru was still recovering a bit. She strained a few things but would be fine in a few days. The one time she did come out came the moment of hilarity from telling Titanic. Tru went to stand at the front of the boat and you guessed it. Wattson came up behind and yelled 'I'm king of the world!' Tru acted affronted because she got stared at along with him by passgers. The blush in her emotions again said otherwise.

Mars took to flying above and enjoying the air while Query was just a bit too heavy for the boat and he can't levitate himself _forever_. Sunny discovered she gets seasick so I kept the miserable sylveon in her ball. Thus it was Aurora who had never actually been over the ocean that was my companion.

"So how have you found this new world? I know the last time I asked you were a bit iffy about some things."

"_True, but I've found that life is life. All the weird technology and customs don't mean that people don't live, eat and die just as it was in the past. What truly matters to me is that its so much easier to be nice."_

Something on my face must have posed a question because she crooned her lovely chuckle and increased her ice a bit to cause snowflakes to fly backwards across the deck. She likes confusing the passengers.

"_Before it was find food and defend it. The battles I remember were not as brutal as some of the ones you've shown me but they were more desperate. Here I can enjoy fighting to defend our family and because I like it. The look on Zaela's face whenever we fight is intimidating,yes, but I can tell she expects me to give her great joy. How can I not like doing that for her? And we all know what Sunny does to us. Wattson too now. Everyone has their place and I've never been more happy."_

I stand with my ancient pokémon for the rest of the day in silence, just enjoying being alive.

Its ruined a couple times by crackling laughter and roaring, draconic delight. Still great.

Alto Mare

Right. Time to fuck canon again. This makes me a bit nervous. I remember the Eon twins being nothing impressive in strength but I only saw the movie once. I'm positive I can find them with Tru but still. Legendaries. The alternative is unacceptable though. With Sunny still a bit under the weather I feel odd without two of my family out so Wattson gets the nod and while he clears the sidewalks a bit with his size his jolly smile and the lucario on my other side ease most people's fear.

"_So why are we here?"_ Damn. I really have to tell the rest of the group my origins soon. Tru hasn't asked, but she's nice about things like this. My aura is determined to do good and that's all she cares for. Aurora and Sunny don't care where we go as long as we're with each other. Query and Mars both know the truth but Wattson is a curious fellow.

I refuse to lie to him but this isn't the place. "I know a bit about some potential allies here. I'll tell the rest of the group the hows and whys later. For now just enjoy the city and let Tru and I do our aura thing to find who I'm looking for."

Wattson takes the words easily and leans down to help a child who dropped their ball. Handling it over to the delighted kid with a chuckle makes the tension around us lessen again and we do indeed enjoy walking about.

The canals in this city are amazing and I long to let Zaela out and surf them, scary as it might be for others. Who doesn't want to surf a giant shark dragon? But alas. Duty.

My aura enhancement fades as Tru and I join energies to look for likely Latias flying about the city. Latios was the responsible one if I recall. Latias seemed young but young for a dragon is still likely quite old. It only takes us an hour or so to get a ping of a particularly strong energy that has me smiling. She's curious alright.

Kicking Wattson in the butt to get his attention has me laughing at his face. He joins me when he sees I was messing with him and Tru starts leading us to where we feel her exploring. The canals are the key as we wander about.

Another reason I have Wattson out is we make quite the sight. Something perhaps an invisible dragon who longs to see new things would want to investigate hmmm? Once we feel her interest we start moving towards a nearby park that is somewhat secluded and patiently wait until Latias comes over to peek out of a canal within speaking distance. I flare my aura in slow pulses of intent and kneel down towards her.

"Why hello there. You've got a lovely feeling to you. Bright and cheery. Reminds me of one of my family here. Don't be afraid. I mean you no harm." She's spooked but also very, very curious. No one has ever seen her before and the emotions I'm radiating ease her concern. I leave my mind open for her to touch for the most part. Aura helps me protect it very well.

"_How can you see me?"_ Just her head is out of the water, still invisible.

"Its not so much sight as it is aura. I can feel yours." Yep. Another waving of aura covered hand makes her even more curious. "Not sure if you've ever heard stories of aura guardians but I'm training to be one."

That gets her attention. There is familiarity there and she slowly floats up and turns into a young woman in her twenties or so. I vaguely remember she took the form of a girl she knew in the movie. Probably hasn't been born yet or is a newborn right now come to think of it. Maybe this is that girl's mom? They were caretakers or something. The only humans the Eon Twins trusted.

"_Aura Guardian?! I though there were no more!"_ Her voice is sweet and breathy. Once Sunny feels better I'm sticking them together and watching the magic.

"For the most part yes. But I've been able to use my abilities almost from birth. My hope is to find more of my kind and rebuild." My words fascinate her as if she's been waiting forever to talk to anyone.

"_That's amazing. I've been here for as long as I can remember. Have you been many places? What are they like?"_ She's still a bit cautious but she relaxes quite a bit more as I sit and pat the grass next to me. Wattson's happy chuckle startles her until she giggles in response to his random flexing. Someday I'll figure out what causes this quirk. Tru simply sighs and bows.

"_Since no one is doing the polite thing, I am Truthseeker and this is my Mistress. Ella Mita. Wattson is the Thunderbug right there." _Wattson just laughs again and gives Latias a 'Nice Guy' pose. I shit you not. Did I tell him naruto stories? Fuck I did. I don't remember talking about Guy-sensei but here we are….I'm never letting Wattson have a disciple. I don't want to know how anime this world can get.

Latias relaxes more and the next few hours are describing my life and about what I want in the world. She listens raptly and makes adorable gasps at the dramatic moments and even sniffles when I talk about how I lost my eye. She's desperate to meet my family after talking about them all but I say its getting late and we can meet up the next day.

"_Oh no! It is late. Brother will be furious. And worried! But mostly furious!"_ Cue my offer.

"Would it help if I met him and explained I kept you? Can you get him to come here?" At that she frowns and considers hard. Eventually her face firms and she nods. I've sill only seen her illusion even if I know what her true form looks like. Seeing her eyes glow much how mine do when I'm channeling a lot of aura is pretty amazing.

"_We can share sight. He's seen you and on his way. Uhm. He might be a bit angry and worried. I don't think he'll attack but don't make any sudden moves alright?"_

Her concern is touching and I just nod. Tru tenses but a look from me relaxes her somewhat. Wattson just looks excited for some drama.

I can hear him through the water he's moving so quick. A splash and he's there. Not invisible and spiking anger and worry. Latias' face panics a bit and she steps in front of me. _"No! Brother! Don't! She saw me when I was invisible! I didn't approach her until she talked to me! And feel her. Read her. She's nice and just wanted to talk!"_

Latios flares a bit of his energy in deep worry but calms enough to feel my aura pulsing outwards. You can't lie with aura and he knows that from the way his guard rapidly starts to drop. He's still quite angry but not worried I'll attack his sister.

"_Who are you? What do you want with us?"_ Yep. Growly boy.

"Ella Mita. Aura Guardian in training. I've heard rumors of you two and figured I'd come and say hi. Possibly exchange information about issues that might arise and to offer my help in any way I can."

I take a deep breath and look back at Wattson with a small apologetic smile that has him confused.

"Also, if you'd like to read my memories I have seen a future you may want to avoid. It might seem like an odd viewing but I think the location of a certain garden even if I've never been there will convince you."

More alarm from the both of them and a gasp from Wattson at that statement. But I do feel them peering in. I don't know what they think about the anime style of my vague memories but Latias starts sniffling as she sees her brother fade and Latios radiates disbelief for a while but can't deny that I know of the caretakers, the soul dew and where the Secret Garden is.

There are long moments that follow as they consider things.

"_That...Is very hard to accept. When does this happen?"_ That makes me think. Ash is not even one. And Johto happened a year or so after his journey began? I think? It was also towards the end of his journey. I believe.

"In about just under twelve years from now. I think. Time is odd in the way I saw this happen. I've got a lot of other events of similar nature I'm trying to stop. I've toiled and fought since I could walk to achieve my dream. I couldn't leave you to fade like that." That's the absolute truth. Tru puts her paw on my shoulder and Wattson's follows. I owe him and everyone an explanation but his support without it is touching.

The Eon twins just stare at each other, one dragon, the other a human. I don't pull up my defenses and my aura still rings true.

"_Alright. How did you want to help?"_ Gotcha. Smiling in relief I let a bit of the tension fade and relax. They're listening.

"Sorry to say this but...While you are a legendary, I kind of think you two...Are not that powerful or well trained. I came to offer help with that and in a couple years I'd like you, Latias especially, to meet that boy in my memories who tried to help you."

Am I trying to get Ash two legendaries before he even goes on his journey? Yes. Fuck canon. I'm doing my best to be a hero but I'll say it again. He's the chosen one.

Latias seems very curious about this and her emotions fill with hope as her brother just thinks hard, even with a bit of resentment. Still, seeing his own death and watching his unprepared sister be left to do his job as he sees it must hit him hard because he sighs and nods a bit later.

"_I'd like to see proof that you can offer us training. As to seeing that boy? Ash was it? Perhaps. In time. Would you require to catch us?"_ Definite resentment there. And I nod.

"Yes but not as you think. I have my own family to find. Ones I expect and a legendary as well someday." Wattson gasps at that and Tru just nods as if I confirmed something. The Eon Twins show surprise. "I'd like you to travel one at a time to a friend of mine in pokéballs. His name is Professor Oak and I tell you with all of who I am that he is a good man that would never take advantage of you."

Seriously. Amazing guy. "He'd examine you, help you grow and even teach you when I'm not around. Also I'd make sure he keeps you secret. Plus, yes, he lives near where that boy will grow up. The Professor doesn't know of my future knowledge but in all of it he continues to be a honest and caring person."

My conviction is getting to them and I'm so very glad for it. Latias is vibrating with excitement and Latios is relenting. After some time he nods and just rolls his eyes at his sister. _"Since you already know about it lets get to the Garden. You can show me your skills there and we'll talk more about being caught. I know Latias has wanted to see the world a bit more so I'm willing to entertain this. Its hard to argue against your own death."_

Things get a little glum at that and Latias excitedly offers me a ride as I let them know I don't have a pokémon who can get me there particularly quick. Query could but yeah. Slower. I recall Tru and Wattson with a smile and we're off.

I'm not good enough of a writer to describe the Garden. Or the soul dew. It feels...Damn. Everything. Like everything. Brightness is present here in ways that aren't just physical. Don't get me wrong. The view is beautiful. But its the energy that makes me want to stay here and meditate for a year. Nuts.

Tru feels the same way when I release her and simply sits down to do just that. Wattson is quite against his nature silent. I ask if I can let out the rest of my family and Latios gives a nod after a moment.

Mars looks about and gives a short nod to a suddenly defensive Latios, which increases more at the sight of Zaela. My team's body language shows no hostility though. Query's bright mental hello probably helps a ton. Psychics. Aurora is cooed over by Latias as she floats to examine my beautiful pokémon dionosaur. Then what I expected occurs.

We are all blinded. Lost. Nowhere is safe as Latias and Sunny meet. Joy meets Sunshine and all is lost! The cuteness! For real though. They hit it off immediately, not that I expected anything else. Sunny immediately starts to explore the Garden with Latias in excited squeals, happy laughter and bright words. Latios looks dazed and we all start when Wattson laughs so hard he has to lean against a tree.

"_Arceus you all look stupid. So funny. Hah! Come on. We're supposed to show our stuff right? Are we fighting you blue guy?"_ Latios is a bit put out by Wattson's attitude but his jolly nature gets through and he nods.

"_Yes. Which of you is the strongest?" _We all look at him a little weird as we glance to the thirteen foot tall dragon who is suddenly grinning with sharp teeth.

"_...fine. Dumb question." _It kinda is. She is better at condensing, if not at Momma's level, but Zaela's presence radiates power. When she wants she can turn it on to an extreme like d&d dragons fear aura somewhat.

"_Oh? Shooting for the top blueboy? I like your attitude. We can have a bit of a tussle. Sure your sister will approve?"_ Zaela has shown a lot of signs that she likes Mars more than just a teammate but I'm not surprised she would consider a legendary dragon someone worth flirting with. Also to try and perhaps make Mars jealous.

Sadly he's already napping. He predicted the moment we were in the Garden that the Eon Twins would agree to my request. So of course he's napping.

"_I. What. I. No! Lets fight. Not..Uhm." _Saved by the cuteness! Latias and my sylveon are now using her ribbons to run together. Latias holding onto them like Sunny is a horse she's trying, and failing, to control.

"_Fine fine. Whatever blueguy. Got someplace we can wrestle that won't get all torn up? I'm not one for particularly pretty things but even I wouldn't want to see this ruined."_ Latios feels like his face should be red if that were possible and silently leads us deeper into the garden. Mars, Tru and Aurora hang back while Wattson follows us along. A few minutes later we find a clearing that has a few craters and few plants. Probably where Latios does some self training or such.

"_This will do. Just show me you can defeat me."_ His tone suggests he doesn't quite believe it. He didn't look over my memories other than the movie. The rest of his time in my head was to read my intentions.

Zaela just chuckles and waits patiently for Latios to move. When he doesn't immediately she gives the equivalent of her shrug and Latios is immediately in a sandstorm. He levitates out with a squawk but Zaela is already in the air, judging correctly that he'd go straight up instead of backwards away from her as he should have. Crunch causes Latios to hiss in pain and in her favorite move she pulls him into the sandstorm with her.

Flashes of light and the hum of psychic abilities pulse from within the concentrated sand. Zaela has gotten to the level where she can use sandstorm in distinct ways. A savage, localized tornado of skin ripping wind or a widespread area with horribly poor visibility but lower damage. This is the damage part and she tosses Latios out with contempt not that much later.

I'd be overly proud of her defeating her first legendary but Latios doesn't look_ too_ hurt and both Zae and I know he's not anywhere near his full potential. Still. The point is made as the Eon shakily floats back up.

"_Well that was humbling. I see. So I do have far to go."_ Latios' mind goes out to me again as Zaela starts repairing the area as best she can. Considering how our group fights she's gotten pretty good at it. Finally his voice carries a bit of resignation and just a hint of relief. _"I agree to your terms. For now I'd ask that you let my sister go first. Until she is stronger as you say I'd prefer to be here alone. Even if we can share things through our eyes."_

I'm a bit surprised at that. I was expecting more argument but I'm not going to look this gift in the mouth. "Glad to hear it. We'll get this all started in a few days so you can prepare, talk to the caretakers and such. Plus I think if I split up Sunny from your sister right now she'd bite me."

His eyes widen as he peers through his sister's vision and I finally hear him chuckle. Its a pleasant sound. _"They do seem to be having a lot of fun...Yes. Perhaps this is for the best. Thank you for scaring me silly Ella."_

"Of course! I've been doing it to my mom for years."

Time goes quickly after that. The caretakers I'm pretty positive are the girl from the movie's parents. I seem to recall her just having a grandfather or something so I give Latios a look and he hums curiosity in my mind. A quick thought and he promises to look after them closer just in case.

Do good where you can. The parents, Jordan and Elisa, actually make things easier as they know what my lucario means. The Eon Twins are quite isolated so having the caretakers tell them about how lucario are all inherently good and that they only follow those they believe in did a lot to ease the rest of the fears. Being an aura adept on top of that made them gape and ask me endless questions.

Sunny and Latias did indeed bond fast. I may have to consider actually sending my Sunshine off to Oaky's lab to visit with Latias. I always hated the idea of being away from my team but a few days visit at times might not be bad right? Things to consider.

Days end and we're ready to start things. As much as it pains me I'm not going to troll Professor Oak with sending him Latias without warning. I'll catch both now but leave Latios' ball with Jordan and Elisa to switch out with the Professor. After the Silver Conference this year I'm going to return and train the Eon twins in earnest for a few months. It'll give my team training against legendaries for the future too. Even if the twins aren't exactly strong yet.

Oak's reaction was funny regardless.

Ring ring. Hah! So he does answer the wrong way! Classic. "Professor. This way." The way he rubs his head is pretty fantastic. Teasing later. "Got some interesting news."

"Is it the electivire that showed up on your ID? They are very rare. But then again not so much for your team." My grin must have got him thinking, and possibly a bit worried, as he just quieted down for me to talk.

"Nope! I'm going to send you a catch in a few minutes and you _have_ to keep her isolated from the lab assistants. She'll take care of hiding herself except in whatever way you two agree to meet. Let her explore the ranch and if you can get your team to train her some. In return she's agreed to let you study her."

Professor Oak's eyes narrow in thought and he rubs his chin. I've sent him regular updates about my team and he's quite appreciated it but this is asking a lot. Still, he nods slowly and holds up a hand before moving away to lock the doors to the lab he's in. "Go ahead and send her over then. Do I need to sit down?"

"Yes."

My lack of snark widens his eyes and he just waits patiently. I come back with Latias in her premier ball. She loves it by the way. She spent at least an hour returning herself with giggles and squees. Sunny found it so funny that they tried to play tag by returning themselves and popping out near each other. I had her unregistered until she was ready to go to surprise Samuel. Hey. I might not be my dad but I can do some stuff. Incidentally if anyone ever caught me doing that I'd be in big trouble.

Waving the ball at the professor I put it in the console. I'd asked the local Joy for a private way to talk to the Professor and she let me use her office for a bit after making sure I was indeed talking to the famous Oak.

I can see Samuel waiting for the information to pop up and the look on his face makes me sigh as if I've watched a romantic movie's climax. That's how pleasant it is to me. Idly I register Latios' ball next . He's elsewhere but I've still got his ball here. The second gasp from the Professor isn't as good as the first but just as satisfying.

"Anyway Samuel. They've agreed to switch off so one of them is always here to protect the city. This is for extra security and they aren't actually mine. I'm a caretaker of sorts like the ones I'll introduce you to later. Jordan and Eliza will keep their balls. Then after the Conference I'm going to come back and help them get stronger."

The Professor is gone. He's heard all I've said but the mouse in his brain has fallen off its wheel. "That's all professor! Latias can tell you the rest. Buh byyyyyeeee."

His mouth opens to demand some sort of answer and I shut down the call to the picture of Latias hopping out with a mental 'Boo!' ….Okay maybe I did plan to troll him some more. Whatever. Sunny let Latias see all her memories of Professor Oak. I think he doesn't quite know how much the Eon Twins are actually eager to meet him. There's a lot to be said for Sunny's utter approval.

The good Mr. Oak would scold me later for trying to give him a heart attack in earnest but ultimately appreciated the laugh. Latias would thrive there I know it.

We left the city a few days later. Lots of things to see with the team. Those that wanted to at least. All Zaela did was start Latios' road to hell. She pounded him into the dirt for the entire time we were there...But he _is_ a dragon. And yes, again, dragons and hardship.

Wattson and Sunny made it their mission to find every cotton candy stop in the city. Guess its a local thing here? They came back radiating need to run in circles and they succeeded. Tru went with them to talk to people and make sure no one messed with them. I sat down with Jordan and Eliza and went through a training plan I'd been building for the twins ever since I thought of this idea.

They weren't trainers but they could help a bit. I also showed them what foods dragons liked and various ways to help growth. Aurora wouldn't leave the garden until we had to go. With that and the National Park I resolved to get her a garden if/when we settled someplace.

Mars slept. Woke. Planned. Slept. Query kept me the most company. Usually he goes off to find people to play with him in games but he knew I was very happy to have started what I hoped was a major change for good and he basked with me in the emotions I was feeling. Every new emotion causes him to examine it and roll it around in his unique mind. This was different than usual satisfaction and he was fascinated by it. I let my boy enjoy my high.

When it was time to leave it was to a hopeful and resolved Latios and his human caretakers waving goodbye. Sunny was already in her ball for the boat ride back and yes, I will be letting her visit Latias at times.

Already I could hear Wattson and Zaela roaring in pleasure at another return voyage of stomping fools. Tru just sighs next to me and watches Mars take off to get some exercise. Its Aurora who makes me think again. Boats and her must agree with each other.

"_So this is why you came here? You came from the possibility of anywhere and you chose us to live your life with?"_ The confession of who I used to be was so utterly anticlimactic I won't even bother writing it. And because I don't want to cry again. They didn't care. Zaela thought it was awesome I beat death. Sunny was just glad she got her Mom. Aurora had died already once so it wasn't too surprising to her. Tru just smiled and said nothing. Wattson was the most fun in that now he knew how dramatic my life would be. He was excited.

And of course Query and Mars already knew.

"Yes. This is what I wanted. A family and a way to help this world I love even before it was mine." Aurora isn't very touchy. She radiates care and warmth but she rarely actually touches us. Her leaning into me then meant a lot as she gently nuzzled my side.

"_Thank you then. I'm not sure what my fate would have been if not with you all. Perhaps I would have been revived perhaps not. This is where I belong though. Where we all do."_

Its nothing she hasn't expressed before. I'm very blessed to feel them all care for me. And each other. But seeing Latios there...Tangible proof that I'm changing this world for the better? Aurora's sincere thanks makes the world brighter.

More crackling laughter and draconic roars of pleasure don't ruin the moment this time.

* * *

First

Liza was beyond excited. Ever since Ella Mita and her family arrived in the valley her life changed in ways she didn't even know to hope for.

The answer to her strange ability alone was worth it all. But here, today? Waiting for her first pokémon? A riolu to help guide her and for her to adore in turn? She doesn't know what to do with herself. What's more is she's aware that her Dad is also preparing a charmander for her. All in her family get one.

Two pokémon in the same day to start her life anew. Insanity.

The Rota examiner was interesting. Funny too. He had a way to sense what you needed to hear whenever she didn't know how to respond. Kind and earnest, she could see how he could get the most from her in the answers he sought.

After he left with a smile and a promise to recommend her she couldn't stand still for days. It took helping a few of the charizard work out some steam to get her distracted. She might not like all their anger at times but she adores their will. The burning purpose to be more.

Mars' request has taken about as well as she can expect. The charizard she's approached trust her but a future goal not yet in sight isn't exactly that exciting. Charizard live in the moment. She'll succeed though. She knows her path now.

Liza never really wanted to travel but she did always want a pokémon. A charmander was the obvious choice and she's sure she would have loved her life without another option.

Once she met Tru on the one night that Ella was here though? The way the lucario's voice rang out and sent shivers down her spine? She knew she was meant to have one someday.

Aura is amazing. She hasn't been able to activate it fully yet but now that she knows what it is she's sorta gotten able to get the emotions of one of the breeder's pokémon. That led to another day of hard work to get the excitement down.

Today though. Today's the day. Ella's dream is fantastic. To help the world. Serve the people. Its like all those stories kids get told about heroes but this is achievable. With pokémon who can understand you? That's an amazing gift. She knows its a hard road that Ella has set before her but Liza has lived with charizard her whole life.

She knows hard.

Her father steps outside with her as they watch the road up the their home. Gently laying his hand on her shoulder she just smiles up at him. He took her change in dream well. All he did was make sure she really wanted it. And it was easy to see her desire.

Again, they live with charizard. Both recognize stubborn resolve.

Bouncing on her feet she spots two dots. She wasn't told who would be coming but its obviously pokémon from the way they are bounding up the trail. One tall and one short.

As they get closer she can spot the longer ears of the lucario and the dainty feet of the riolu as they leap in graceful jumps upwards. Her eyes focus as intently on the riolu as the riolu does her. There is something in the air that they both feel and without a word Liza steps forward to meet him.

The riolu is tall for his kind and rather burly, built more for power than speed. Lucario just sighs and watches the interaction. Typical of his kind, Lucario moves forward to talk to the child's parent. Liza doesn't notice nor does riolu. Aura sings between them.

"_Its obvious that they are meant for each other. You are her father yes?"_ A slow nod confirms it. _"Then I leave you with this advice. Let them grow and fail together. Riolu has a lot of pride but he's a good one, that one. Nothing more need be said. Your daughter is worthy. I can feel it."_

Nate just stares numbly as the lucario departs. As civilized as they might be lucario _are_ pokémon and his charge can take care of himself and his new partner. Liza and Riolu don't notice, so intent on each other they are.

"Uhm. I'm Liza. I can feel you. Is that weird? We're going to be the best of friends." Riolu just nods his head and his small face splits in a wide grin.

"_Of course we are! I have trained to serve you in our quest to root out evil and grow stronger! Fair partner! None shall stand before the might of our conviction!"_

Liza blinks. That she can understand him is joyous but did she hear that right? "Sorry. Say that again?"

"_I shall say it as many times as I must for it to drive things forward! A knight I shall be to you, my queen! Aaron and his partner will fall into the past at the legend we shall bring!"_

As Liza just continues to boggle she fails to notice her father move off to the room he told her not to go into until her pokémon arrived. Even as her new partner regales her of all that he is ready to accomplish with her the footsteps of her father pull her attention away finally.

"Alright kiddo. Here she is. She's been waiting for you I think. This one is something special just as your riolu. If you're going to go forward with this goal of yours then you need the strongest."

Behind him small black eyes peer at her out of a tiny orange face. The charmander shyly waves her tail and looks curiously at the riolu still huffed up behind his new partner.

"_Hello. My name is Charla. Uhm. We're going to be friends right? Mother said you spoke to us. Is that right? I don't like to fight as much I don't think but I wouldn't mind helping protect you...If. If you'll have me."_

Liza isn't sure what to do. Riolu, finally quieting stands next to her and peers up with bright eyes. _"Another comrade! Amazing! Truly I was requested well."_

More blinking occurs. "You were requested?"

"_Yes! The Princess' Mistress wrote that you'd likely get a rather calm charizard so she suggested to give you the most mighty of warriors! The most bold! I!"_

Liza can't help it. She laughs just a bit to both her new companions' confusion. This was not what she expected. Not at all. But his earnest heart can't lie to her. She can feel it. He'll stand by her against all the inhabitants of the valley. And her charmander would calm those he could not tame. Turning down to see a tiny claw tugging on her shorts she reaches down to hug both her new partners. A sword and a shield. Maybe Ella's dream wasn't too far away from her fairy tales. She'd stand as a Guardian no matter what.

"_Now! Let us be off to adventure! Come Charla! We shall learn what your strengths are!"_

"_...you're funny."_

**Well that happened. Hope you like the weirdness I decided to push at Liza. She'll return again in time. Just had to show you all the start. We saw a bit of Wattson's style of fighting. Other than the Momma fight his was my favorite to write so far.**

**The Eon twins are going to get power leveled like mad. If this were the old games I'd be tossing them in front of my team and switching them out the second battle started. Exp share be damned. And of course the time honored tradition of messing with the Oak family. Gary is in for troooouble.**

**Next chapter ...I wouldn't normally do this but I don't want to get distracted. Lance is the second perspective. I'm promising it! Been planning to write a bit of him for a while. Ghost gym too, likely. The chapter after that is the next team member and he'll be a challenge for some of the group! Maybe a tad more guilt for Ella too. He's not from Hoenn, Johto or Kanto.**

**We haven't had any new combo moves in a while so probably some training and brainstorming from Ella and Mars. Onto the team!**

**_**1- Zaela the King Garchomp (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Adamant**__

**_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, Double Team, Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, Rain Dance, Mud-Slap, Dual Chop, Slash, Dragon Claw, **_**__**Draco Meteor, Dragon Rush, Earthquake, **__**_**Stone Edge, **_**__**Crunch, **__**_**Fire Blast, Aerial Ace, Hyper Be**_**__**am**__

**_**Combination Moves: Furnace (Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit)**_**

**_**Pain Whirl (Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and Rock Slide with a helping of Mud-Slap. Confuse them in a tornado made of giant pain rocks)**_**

**_**Grinder- Earthquake and Earth Power to simultaneously disrupt movement and provide a sharp incline to speed up Dragon Rush and manually activate Stealth Rocks. Rock Slide to subtly hammer Stealth Rocks towards vital points. Very tiring.**_**

**_**Ella's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_**

**_**2- Query the Shiny Metagross**_**__** (Identifies Male)**__

__**Ability: Clear Body**__

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

**_**Moves: Iron Head, Iron Defense, Take Down, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Psych Up, Gravity, Ally Switch, Miracle Eye , Scary Face, Brick Break, Meteor Mash, Agility, Magnet Rise, Return, Reflect, Double Team, Light Screen, **_**__**Rock Smash, Hammer Arm. Pursuit, **__**_**Hammer Arm, **_**__**Toxic, Shadow Ball, Hyper **__**_**Beam, Focus Blast, **_****_**Flash**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Psi-Fist - A method of psychic manipulation of an opponents gravity and self to make critical hits happen. A variety of punches/strikes with heavy but small piercing-like psychic stabs to balance points.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Two- Constant mind/emotion reading to adapt to attack patterns and psychological weaknesses. Low level confusion waves to occlude and disrupt senses and to influence terror or caution depending on level of threat as well as psychological profile. Can currently use two dedicated brains for state two. Three deemed too detrimental to combat ability.**_**

**_**3- Truthseeker(Tru) the Lucario (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Inner Focus, **_**__**Justified (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Serious**__

**_**Moves: Foresight, Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Detect, Cross Chop, Bite, Mind Reader, High Jump Kick, Agility, Vacuum Wave, Crunch, Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash, Copycat, Rock Smash, Force Palm, **_**__**Aura Sphere, Heal Pulse, **____**Protect, **____**Power-Up Punch, Me First, Calm Mind, **____**Extremespeed, Toxic, Focus Blast, Shadow Bal**__**_**l, **_**__**Thunderpunc**__**_**h**_****_**, Close Combat**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Heal Sphere- Aura Sphere made with heal pulse energy. Very aura intensive but serves as a long range critical heal.**_**

__**EMT- Bullet Punch, **____**Extremespeed or**____**M**____**e First(Depends on move) to target who is attacking ally. Counter if needed while second hand is using Heal Pulse. High Jump Kick away if Quick Attack is not fast enough. Looking into Substitute, Extremespeed and Quick Guard for increased effectiveness.**__

__**Reader: Calm Mind, Mind Reader, Detect to stay in someone's guard. Protect to be **____**used**____** later when unable to dodge.**__

__**Regen: Developed by Joy's lucario. Bounces small Heal Pulses onto a Protect screen to cause small amounts of healing over time. Somewhat draining even when perfected. Calm Mind increases efficiency.**__

**_**4- Sunshine(Sunny) the Sylveon (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Cute Charm, **__**_**Pixilate (Hidden)**_**

__**Nature: Quirky**__

__**Moves: Fake Tears, Tickle, Wish, Yawn, Stored Power, Tackle, Helping Hand, Baby-Doll Eyes, Fairy Wind, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Swifty, Moonblast, Refresh, Draining Kiss, Light Screen, Misty Terrain, Skill Swap, Reflect, Safeguard, Round, **____**Shadow Ball, To**__**_**xic**_**

__**Special Moves: Talk no jutsu. Seriously. Okay not seriously. Just couldn't resist the joke.**__

**_**5- Mars the Shiny Charizard**_**__** (Male)**__

**_**Ability: Blaze**_**

**_**Nature: Lonely**_**

__**Moves: **__**_**Ancient Power, Flare Blitz, Scratch, Ember, Dragon Dance, Air Cutter, Crunch, Bite, Beat Up, Dragon Rush, Dragon Pulse, Slash, Fire Fang, Dragon Rage, Flame Burst, Flamethrower, Metal Claw, Smokescreen, Wing Attack, **_****_**Fire Blast, Thunderpunch, Hyper Beam, Toxic, Focus Blas**_**__**t**__

**_**Combination Moves(Self Taught): Dragon Blitz-High speed directed attack. A fully boosted by Dragon Dance Flare Blitz combined with a Dragon Rush that can be changed mid attack by using an enforced claw with Slash and Metal Claw to dig into nearby surfaces to a new direction. **_**__**Wing Attack and Air Cutter to achieve similar effects in air. Steel Wing desired. Double Team to be added for confusion once completely mastered. Possible Beat Up Clones when team exceeds six members.**__

**_**Smoke Boost- Dragon Dance while setting up favorable terrain with Ancient Power and hoping for more buffs while covered in a Smokescreen. Double Team and Beat Up to be added later.**_**

__**Firewall- Flame Bursts tossed up high and fed with a directional Air Cutter. Flamethrower added immediately after Flame Burst. Able to use without Blaze but cannot sustain it while moving without ability activation. Ancient Power to be added in slowly. Rock Slide an alternative if learnt.**__

**_**6- Aurora the Amaura**_**__** (Female)**__

**_**Abilities: Refrigerate, Snow Warning (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Modest**_**

**_**Moves: Powder Snow, Thunder Wave, Haze, Barrier, Mirror Coat, Sandstorm, Hail, Magnet Rise, Discharge, Rock Throw, Mist, Icy Wind, Ice Beam, Round, Ancient Power, Aurora Beam, Avalanche, **_****_**Thunderbolt, Hyper Beam**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Storm Defense: Ability activation, Sandstorm and Barrier. Omni-Directional Discharge if any non-ground types enter the field.**_**

__**7- **____**Wattson(Thunderbug) the Ele**____**c**____**tivire**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Motor Drive**__

__**Nature: Jolly**__

__**Moves: **____**Thunder Shock, Cross Chop, Thunderbolt, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Focus Punch, Low Kick, Rolling Kick, Meditate, Dynamic Punch, Light Screen, Barrier, Thunderpunch, Discharge, Thunder, Shock Wave**____**, Focus Blast, Toxic, **____**Thunder Wave**__

__**8- Joker, Dark one the ? (Male)**__

**_**Possibly the most dangerous. Also a close friend of Query.**_**

**_**9- Angel**_**__** the ? (Female)**__

__**Dedicated healer and transportation specialist. No jokes here. She's the best.**__

__**10- Ghost Tass the ? (Male)**__

__**Not much known. Other than he's got stereotypical ghost ideas. In other words, can be an ass. Also possibly dangerous. But seriously. Ghost. Big duh. But actually isn't all bad! Gotcha! Uses suffering to heal in some way, somehow.**__

__**11- Water Maiden the ? (Female)**__

__**Tank of some variety. Prideful as fuck.**__

**_**12- Legend the ? (Female)**_**

_****Literally a legendary. Seriously. Its happening. Ella's ultimate goal for proof of her path to the world. Loses to Zaela a lot supposedly. For now. Possibly psychic or some mental ability.****_


	10. Ch 10- Adept and Elite

**Still going strong with ideas. I'm a little bit impatient for the team to get done with the Conference. Another recruit this chapter. Or at least one Ella will desperately try to get on her side. This is someone I've been planning to be in the story for a while. Review time.**

**frankieu- Oak trolling is a tradition that Ella will be promoting. Maybe. Ella just couldn't leave Latios to such a sad death. But he's in for a world of pain when she has time to let her team train him. As always, thank you for reading.**

**Blaze2121-Cannon was already kind of boned in some respects. Ella has just decided its time to stop caring. As for Joker, you'll see if you're right next chapter. Thanks for the review.**

**thor94- Ella's current plan is to have Ash befriend Latias early. Latios she's going to train herself to stay in Alto Mare. She's planning to make him so very strong that he'll be able to protect Alto Mare alone. And hopefully let his sister have a life. She might give Latias a few tips but no, she's staying hands off from giving Ash everything. All she has are plans to get him a riolu but not a fully trained one and likely a book on aura training. She wants to give him a head start butt she won't ever hand hold him. She wasn't raised that way at all. Ash is going to definitely go his own. He'll just have her helping mitigating the damage of major events. Thank you very much for enjoying my story.**

**Episoph- Sent you a PM as my response to your review is waaaay too long for here. Thank you regardless!**

**zubhanwc3- Also sent you a PM! Your guesses are fun! Thank you for reading.**

**Alakrux- Thanks! Tru is a quiet favorite of mine. She doesn't stand out a lot but her deep dedication to Ella and their mutual dream I hope comes out when I do focus on her. Cute moments with her next chapter are coming. After the Silver Conference there will be a 4-5 year timeskip. And a bit of delay in writing I think as I plot some things. I don't have shifty eyes. Shut up. Soon after the skip though yes, consequences will abound. The end of the Silver Conference will explain more. Not sure how my wpm is actually. There is probably some sort of thing online I can do. Will try when I have time. Thank you for your words as always.**

**Story time!**

**Disclaimer; I don't own anything of pokémon. Just the ocs!**

* * *

Adept

Getting back to Goldenrod doesn't take all that long compared to the trip away. Zaela now likes the water. Something about surprise enemies to clobber appeals to her. If her life could be a rogue like game I think she'd be happiest. Aurora and I make friends. Children love the way she croons at them and everyone appreciates how she can cool things down. Its a bit warm this time a year. She stillpp doesn't like being touched. Likely because we're so much warmer than her.

Mars has started working on strategies in the sky as he flies along. Most of the other passengers are tourists and he gets a lot of pictures taken. I'm not arrogant enough to say we can handle anyone who comes after us but it is quite hard to track us down. We don't follow routes anymore really. The plan is to go back out of Goldenrod towards Ecruteak and make a couple stops.

First off, there is some training that Mars and I have to do in earnest. I'm still holding the mega stone for a later team mate but we haven't yet tried the charizardite that we found in the Valley. Not sure if its X or Y but I'm very, very excited. I'm a little hoping for Y just because he'll keep his black color but I don't mind the X either.

Past that I really want to visit the Pokémon Jujitsu Academy. First off for myself but also to see if anyone there might want to aid the Order. Its hard for me to recruit before I'm at least a bit more known without outside help.

By the way. Professor Redwood and Oak both came through with a few potentials. Redwood even went further and made some calls. I've got a list of who are very likely, will need convincing and those almost sure not to take me seriously from him. I've sent off the not take me serious to mom. She said to let her know if I needed help knocking heads and while I doubt she'd ever join my Order she will support me in extreme ways if needed.

Goldenrod ends up being so unwelcome to me. I don't hate it. I just miss nature a bit. While the Den and Clan compounds had modern aspects for the most part it was very simple. Bare. Even moreso with myself and my team being with Momma so often. Besides, I get to do something I've been looking forward to since I was reborn. I'll write about it.

The breeze hits me hard as if anticipating the momentous event about to occur. Everyone is back in their balls as I look at the dock we just departed. This is it. I can't even wait to get out of the city. Picking a random spot with enough space I let my sister go free. While there is no usual roar she sure as hell draws attention as usual.

I've learned to ignore the gasps, frightened murmurs and the much more pleasing admiring gazes. Zaela looks a bit confused as I start digging into my storage bag. I'm wearing her eyepatch and put on my clothing that syncs up with her hide near perfectly. When the massively expensive saddle I had made starts pulling out of the bag appears my sister croons lowly. Her voice is so deep now that it disturbs nearby pidgey and wingulls from their perches. A few people snap pictures but there is nothing but her and I.

Flying Mars is amazing. I'll never tire of it. But we've been waiting for this for ages. I'm still kicking myself for not remembering to get a saddle done in Blackthorn. The aftermath of the fight with Momma kind of overshadowed everything practical. Putting on her saddle requires me to put on the gloves I use to clean her scales and climb up her body.

More people gather to watch this dwarfed blond girl missing an eye methodically strap a saddle to a dragon none of them would think likely to listen to me. It doesn't matter. Its done. We're ready. Jumping higher than I should be able to is easy. Aura enhancing is exponentially paying for itself. Snapping my goggles on I get strapped in laid along her back and reach up to stroke that place along her jaw that I touch to let her know I love her.

Now Zaela roars and damn the consequences. No one is prepared for a dragon's roar and mine is King. People scream in fright and wonder as she leaps into the air. The roar turns into shouts of joy as the air breaks to our will. This is right. Earth bends to us. The water now knows we can defeat it. The air is our home. Zaela soars and I join her.

The next few days are dominated by flying. I love Mars immensely but it can't compare to this. Zaela and I are bonded in a way I still won't explain. Its too sacred. What was clunky for her now becomes graceful. Hard turns come with ease and she relishes in taking me into the domain where we can see over all she owns.

Whew. Even now I want to go back up.

Nowhere

Today is gonna be awesome. Mega evolution. I had a heavy leather strap to hold Mars' stone in the week we waited for my key stone to be delivered. Everyone is eager to see what happens and I know for a fact that Zaela is going to fight him first. Mars is actually showing visible excitement about this.

The team is shockingly quiet for once and hushed. Like we're about to see something sacred. Just like Zaela's flight. I'm too blessed sometimes. Making sure my key stone is firmly set in the necklace I had it set in I move up to Mars and smack his arm playfully.

"So excited. You sure you're my son?" Mars just snorts and nudges me gently with his snout, hot breath flashing my face and disturbing the few hairs that get pulled from my bun.

"_For once Mother I am eager to give Zaela a fight. I'm not sure how this works. Does your knowledge cover this?" _Oddly enough it doesn't, I think its because the connection between trainer and pokémon is subjective. Depends on the individual.

Shrugging I simply look up at him and lean forward to kiss his jaw. "Lets just try to feel how we make each other better. Isn't that what you want of evolution?"

Mars gets that look on his face that tells me he's got it in a second and I sigh. It'll take me a bit more time. I wish I could say I follow his example. The problem is that he is essentially my son. I helped him grow and I want to protect him. Not see him get hurt even if I know we will at times.

Its an hour later with a supremely bored group of pokémon where Query stomps over and nudges me.

"_Heart-voice. Do not focus on protection. You hope he has a better life. Dwell on the person he has become and wish for more of that….and let go. All pokémon seek to surpass what comes before."_

Sigh. Query always knows what to say. I put aside the idea that on my orders he will kill again. That I worry about him having fun. I channel mom and become his commander. His trainer. He will give me more. Happily. I love him. But I will not limit him. Instead I will dream the world for him.

His expression just shows me he knows and it happens. The explosion of power washes over me enough to make me take a knee. Bright, massive light spreads in a circle as something very close to aura hammers down on us all. Boredom is long gone as my family gaze at one of their own exceed what is possible.

Blue flames are the first thing I see. Mars' massive tail is a deep green and supports the hissing flame that warps the air around it. His breath is so hot it almost burns me from six feet away as every exhale spouts more of the flame without pause. Two wicked looking spikes armor his shoulders as the horns on his head and the bone outcropping on his wings grow and turn into more intense weapons.

My charizard is silent and moves slowly to get used to his form until he snaps his wings out and takes off with a bang of speed. He doesn't seem faster but the way he turns is insane. So quickly. Moving down towards the ground a bit away he slams into a tree with a simple wing attack and the wood creaks for an instant then the whole thing falls. Coming straight back he lands and examines his wing in earnest.

"_That didn't hurt at all." _Considering he couldn't do something like that yesterday? Yeah he's beefier. I'm just grinning like mad and I get closer despite the heat. Turning away he experimentally breathes flame and a massive blue explosion happens at the downed tree. He wouldn't have been able to reach that far either.

"You're a Mega Charizard X. It means a lot of things get boosted, obviously, but you also are part dragon part fire while this goes on and any move that you use physically wrecks all that much more." Mars' eyes gleam. He does love his Dragon Blitz technique. Zaela finally can't take it.

"_We've been waiting fucking forever! Can we fight now?"_

For once Mars doesn't waste time planning and plotting. He simply flaps back a bit and looks to me. I move way, way out of the way and tug an excited Sunny a bit further away. Aurora actually seems worried and pulls up some boulders for cover if we need it while everyone else just waits with me.

I nod and Mars is already in the air. Zaela follows in a flash and starts to shoot out dragon breath in droves. What was a weakness for her has been trained relentlessly into something Mars has to respect. Or he would if he hadn't already turned on his wingtip to dodge. Dragon Claws reinforced by slash race along Zaela's side as she's surprised by his speed. He doesn't stop there but slams into her and activates Flare Blitz to shove her towards the ground and out of the sky.

Normally this would suit Zaela fine. She likes trapping people in the earth. She savages Mars with crunches and her own dragon claws. He's much smaller than her but his defense seems off the scale. Every single one of her attacks is blocked by his much stronger wings, tail or claws. His flames alight with searing heat and Zaela, giant as she is, becomes engulfed in the dragon breath he just realized how to use. Its easily twice the size of hers and that ,maybe more than the damage, makes her roar in anger.

Zaela hits the earth with a shattering crash as Mars flips over mid air and slams a dragon tail, another move he just realized, to help her hit the ground and disrupt her just diving in like water. My starter has never been more off balance. Even with Momma she knew what was coming. As if that weren't enough Mars shows how much respect he has for Zaela, who is already tossing stone edges his way and raising her beloved sandstorm. A dragon pulse that feels like a hyper beam grinds my sister through the dirt and into a nearby hill with savage force and Mars doesn't let up, speeding forward as his dragon dance that he's been using without even any visible sign completes.

The Dragon Bliz he uses is met with Zaela attempting to use her own Dragon Rush to keep him at bay as I honestly see her panic a little. She could fairly easily put Mars on the back foot yesterday. The crash is enormous and I hear scales hit the ground even from where I stand. Normally Mars would fight at range and hit and run with Zaela but the dust clears to see him slamming rock slide to stone edge against her, another move he just picked up to keep her from moving him from melee. Dragon Claws boosted fully by his dance carve into her and now I hear actual pain.

Mars still doesn't stop. Zaela would hate him. Years of losing to Momma made us humble but since we've left Blackthorn nothing has truly challenged my starter. Mars rises today to it so Zaela finally lets loose. Grinder is not a combo move for anything less than possibly a champion opponent. Taking a slash so she can be pushed back just an instant my starter gets herself back into the proper mindset and earth power floods the ground they are on. She takes another slash to the jaw to get Mars' arm in her mouth and shatters the area with Earthquake. We don't use the move lightly and there is a reason its the ultimate in all earth abilities. Even Fissure doesn't have the potential for collateral damage. Softened strategically by her earth power the ground pillars upwards and starts rag dolling Mars even as he draws his now armored wings about him. The first step finished leads to three different rock slides ping ponging through the chaos and forcing Mars to simply kick off things or risk a shredded wing, armor or not.

Third step are stealth rocks that my sister hid with the earth power before the earthquake under ground. When the earth shatters they were exposed and my ping-ponging green charizard sets them off. Its a brutal, savage sight that ends with Zaela following the last massive stealth rock with her head in the mother of all dragon rushes. Mars is smote from the sky he was pushed into by the Grinder and lands in a skidding heap of ruin. Huffing hard and long he slowly stands, barely able and with one eye swollen shut, a bloodied, battered frame points upwards.

We all stare at the near twenty ancient power rocks he must have gathered as he was put through Grinder. Zaela's curse is cut off by all of them tossing her into the air much the same as Mars was.

My charizard just lets out a low huff of laughter and the bright light of evolution appears again but what I'm left with is a knocked out black dragon. Eyes wide, I look over to my starter and for the first time in years I see her out. Completely. When we trained with Momma she would put Zaela down sure but in a fair fight? This is the first Zaela has ever lost. Tied. Frankly I don't know if she'll consider it a tie.

Tru is already running towards Mars to start aid along with Sunny who is very quiet but her emotions read more shock than anything. Query follows me to Zaela's body and I sigh as most everything I see will heal in a few days of care. Pokémon heal obnoxiously quick.

"_Heart-voice? Would all of us who can evolve that way gain such power?"_ Its been so silent between my family during the fight that Query's voice makes me start even as I'm pulling aura to heal my sister.

"More or less. I think you gain the same ability as Mars actually. Which for you would be quite brutal with Psi-Fist. Do keep it in mind that Zaela has a mega stone out there." What would her mega form bring about? What could stand against that? I'm so proud of them both. Some might be concerned at the destruction they just unleashed but I was born with a dragon starter. They exist to find glorious battle.

Shit. She's never going to stop going after Mars now. Query just hums I thought as he often does and I take care of my sister.

Zaela wakes up a bit later with a growl and snort and is about to move quick before Query gently presses her down with psychic and I enter her vision.

"_Did I lose?"_ I can't place the tone in her voice. Its out there. Different.

"Yes. No. Its a tie really but you got knocked out. So I think you should treat this as a loss." I'm thinking more clearly now. What would motivate her more? What is true? For her that she was taken out is a loss I would think. I'm right when she glares over at Mars' sleeping form. He woke for a moment, looked at Zaela and just went to sleep.

Lazy or not he looked beat.

"_That mon is mine. Got it? I'll kill anyone who tries to take him. He was glorious." _I laugh and shake my head. I think I know her so well and she surprises me. I shouldn't be come to think of it. Momma took a mate who could defeat her.

"_Don't laugh at me sister. You get to think about how he's your son and I want him. Hah! No blood relation but now you're going to think about that all night. Fuck you. I'm going to sleep now. Hurt all over."_

…

Bitch.

Academy

The aftermath wasn't immediate for the fight. Sunny was very concerned that the hated each other with how brutal the fight was but Aurora just said that some people needed to find love in interesting ways.

Sunny said everyone already loved each other and spent the day asking us all if we loved her enough that we wouldn't have to fight her like that. Wattson just told her that no one would win against her so there was no need. That she was so well liked that we'd happily do whatever she wanted for the rest of the afternoon.

Groans came from that as Wattson, Aurora, Mars and I played out Beauty and the Beast for her as best we could. Aurora was beauty, I was her Dad for some reason, Wattson played the beast and Mars was the bad guy. No she literally called him 'bad guy'. It was kind of fun. Zaela even liked it for how silly we looked.

Could have done without Query constantly using Flash for lighting.

What really came from this is more respect for Mars, a bit of humility for Zaela and a bit of an idea of just how strong we're becoming.

The Jujitsu Academy is fairly hidden from the ground. I think. Who am I kidding. I have two dragons. I'm never walking anywhere again if I can fly. Still, Zaela proves her knowledge again and takes me pretty darn close to it before we have to circle a bit to find it. Its fairly large with a few main buildings and a wall surrounding the whole of it all. Japanese like architecture, or at least it appears to me, form most of the buildings and I direct Zaela to the front gate to land fairly softly actually. We're getting better and better at this.

The massive gate doesn't intimidate me. I could have just flown over it. Hopefully that gives me brownie points. I release Tru and pulse my aura. My eye directs to the two guards I feel tensing on top of the wall until they see my lucario. One moves out of the shadows he was in and yells down. This is more military oriented that I expected.

"State yourself and your purpose!"

"To let my lucario enjoy your Academy for a while and to speak to your Master about something important."

The guard doesn't quite know what to do about the young, one-eyed girl who rode in on a massive dragon. I'm starting to enjoy this level of confusion. Finally he makes a motion to the other guard who immediately runs off.

"Forgive our suspicion. There have been a few poachers of late and all who seek entry are to be questioned." Hmm. I suppose so but do they really think that a girl my age would be involved? Maybe if we go bust some heads they'll believe me. That actually sounds good. Tru's desire to seek them out reminds me that this would be something a Guardian would immediately go after.

"Where are these poachers? Perhaps my team and I can help. We're not without strength." An older voice answers me as the doors start creaking open. Its filled with a bit of humor and deep wisdom. Or at least that's what it sounds like to me. Older with grey hair and an easy smile he steps out of the Academy confidently. Years of mom teaching me combat make my senses scream that this guy could take me out realllllly quick.

"Do not worry. Someone has already offered to take care of them and I have full confidence that he will keep his word."

Tru just peers at him and gives him the deepest bow I've seen her give besides my mom. Well. "Good to know. My name is Ella Mita and I've some things to ask of you. If you have time Master…?"

"My name is Tōkichi. Indeed I am the Master of this Academy. Come. Would you enjoy a meal? We just finished ours but I'm certain we could find you something." I shake my head in a negative as he leads me toward what is obviously his home or something similar. My eye tracks various younger trainers in red, yellow or blue clothing and older folks in ropes much like Tōkichi wears.

"Your lucario may visit as she wishes." True speaks up for herself before I can answer.

"_No thank you. Perhaps later. I would speak with you too about what Mistress wishes to say. Also I would very much like to meet this person you sent after the poachers." _Leave it to Tru to be happy about someone going about justice.

The Master of the Academy simply overs a polite smile as we head inside. I leave my shoes as is proper. It was a bit hard to get used to some customs that seem to cross over. This world is an odd combination of some traditional Japanese customs, western culture and just oddities. In Blackthorn you always wore shoes or you'd hurt your feet running after dragons.

Once we're seated I'm treated to tea and I start my spiel.

"How familiar are you with Aura Guardians Master Tōkichi?" The man is sharp I'll give him that. Actually every older person I've met in this world is sharp. Hrm. The Master's gaze goes back and forth between my lucario and I before he speaks.

"Fairly well, actually. I've studied them as most martial artists are inspired by aura. It often is associated with the ki we believe in. Likely one and the same. In fact the man who sent himself after the poachers is more familiar with the subject than I. Though I suppose I should say young man."

Oh? A possible recruit? Probably best to wait until this mystery man comes back to consider that. Going for a less showy display I settle into my meditative pose and pull deem of my aura and let it slowly start to expand. Tōkichi practically stands as he feels it. Sharp senses there as well.

My single eye opens, glowing with the purple color of my aura and I speak with conviction backed by the aura that cannot lie about my desires. "I seek to restore the Order. Not with just users. We are intensely rare even if I have come across one so far in my journey." Maybe this is destiny poking at me to help?

Tōkichi stares at me in amazement and more than a little excitement as he considers my words. I do my best not to peek at his emotions while Tru says her two poké.

"_What Mistress has not said is that she wishes for you to help. Slowly. Things cannot change over night and the Order would need support and safe places to rest. We shall utilize both high technology and old ways. Adaptability and cunning shall rule first until we are strong enough to inspire. There is much to be said about honor but first we must gain the strength to defend it."_

I'm definitely only telling people I trust or I view the aura of until there are more of us. This place teaches combat in many ways. Just free instruction alone is worth the trip even if nothing else is gained.

Master Tōkichi just looks thoughtful and nods slowly. "I shall have to bring it up with the rest of the staff. I think at the least we can offer training if you prove to us that you can find more to join your Order. After that? Maybe more. Danger will follow you and I cannot order my people to follow without good cause and mutual trust."

That's more than fair. I'm perfectly okay with that. Its a start and I hand him Professor Oak's and my mom's number for if he finds anyone who he thinks would want to join me independent of his Academy. That he agrees to with a smile and a nod.

"Out of curiosity, do you expect this young man you spoke of back soon?" Because this is an anime world the steady steps of someone down the hall answer my question for me. Tru lets out a bit of a curious noise and I pulse my aura tightly. Whoa. This guy has a lot of physical aura but very little spiritual. Its not bad. Just that he's gotta be built like a brick.

"Here he is. Welcome back Bruno. Good news?"

Bruno. Yes Bruno walks through the door and gazes calmly at us all. Fucking Bruno. Even the lucario next to me only gets the barest of a raised eyebrow as he bows respectfully to the Master. "It is done. They have been detained by Officer Jenny and will trouble your lands no more. Forgive me for intruding Master Tōkichi and…?"

I don't let the Master answer and instead stand to offer him my hand. He's in his mid twenties(I think) but looks exactly how he'll look later if just a little smaller. The same haircut and build. He wears a torn gi-like shirt and his hand is hard as a rock as I shake it firmly. Another slight eyebrow raise as he feels how rough my own hands are. He's basically pokémon Ryu. "Ella Mita of Blackthorn. Pleased to meet you Bruno."

The stoic young man just nods firmly and turns to look at Tru with a bit more interest now that his duty is done. Tru in turn just stands and moves to leave after nodding Bruno after her. I chuckle a bit and stand up after Bruno begins following my aura partner. Master Tōkichi follows as well. We all know that a fight is to happen now.

Once outside I lean against a post and watch as Tru gives Bruno a slow bow and waits until it is returned before flying forward. She's going fairly hard on him, just a bit more than me and has to up it a bit when Bruno's fist comes in with a clang against her side. A satisfied nod from her increases the speed as she pulls just a bit of a bullet bunch at the future Elite Four.

All the punches are dodged or blocked with his packed, compressed muscle and he catches a punch to toss Tru towards the ground, showing he's been training here in jujitsu or already knew it. Tru just rolls with it and shoves herself into a gravity defying front flip that lets her tail slam upwards at her opponent.

Bruno dodges, barely, and it puts him just slightly off balance. Tru capitalizes as she comes down, throwing the tiniest of aura spheres to his leg and causes a fall that he does his best to roll away from. Its quick and impressive but Tru has been trying to work on her speed to get in and out with heals as fast as possible. Her paw impacts to the side of her head hard enough to enter the earth and he nods, tapping her forearm to show that he knows he lost.

Tru stands and offers him his paw carefully so he won't accidentally grab her spike and I grin some. "So Bruno. What do you know about Aura Guardians?"

Sorry Lance. He's going to train my Order. Pokémon and human alike.

After that its surprisingly easy to get him on board. After showing him my abilities and complimenting him on his own internal aura he sits while I tell him my dream. The gaze on the man is beyond piercing. As if every word I have is judged. I don't leave anything back. I speak of global effort and a want to do good. How I wish to stop disasters of any make. Human, pokémon or natural. The whole time he just sits there, arms crossed and his eyes on my face without a word. Again Tru finishes for me.

"_I do not know if you seek anything but to find a center for your life, Master Bruno. You seem pure in your desire to fall down further into martial arts. This is not an offer to put that off. Simply to share it with those who seek to better everyone. Whatever manner you would aid in that is up to your conscience and sense of self. All I can ask is that you help."_

At this point I'm holding my breath. Bruno continues his stare and then his eyes soften just a bit. Finally he lets out a sigh and nods. "Very well. I will not stop my path but I shall direct it somewhat to yours. If you wish my help you will have it only if you let me choose the way I train others. It will not be pleasant and I am only training them. They will not be my apprentices. I shall pick the place and if they cannot reach me there then the will not be worthy. Is that acceptable?"

My eye shines. This is exactly what I desire. Guardians must have a will of iron. If he's going to bust them down and challenge them right back up? That's perfect. Sorry Liza. You're probably going to be his first victim. "I'm only just now starting. My first recruit is a girl my age in the Charicific Valley. She already has a riolu with her." Bruno's eyes gleam for a moment at me mentioning the Valley.

"I had thought to use Mt. Silver but the Valley is harsh and unforgiving. A good place to forge will." I'm beaming at him and he offers just a bit of a grin back.

"She's working on forming a group of charizard to aid the Order. I would imagine they would make good sparring partners for you and your team?" Oh now I've got him. I can see it. Yeah really sorry Lance. No Bruno for you.

"This has been an unexpected day. I will leave in the morning to the Valley and begin carving a home. At least for a few years. If this girl proves you pick worthy persons I shall devote more to your efforts. Thank you for this. I am excited." At no point does his expression change. But a peek at his aura does tell me that having such a high, near impossible, goal appeals to him. Even if my dream doesn't pan out he is quite pleased at the idea of training in the Valley.

Yeah right Bruno. You're mine. Liza has a heart of fire. She'll surprise you.

The Master offers a bit more support after watching Bruno and I talk. Mostly just texts and other combat schools I might visit. I've got a busy couple years ahead of me but I already knew that. I don't stay the night and climb on Zaela's back. Thank you Destiny. If my people get trained by Bruno? Nothing will stop them.

Ecruteak

Ecruteak had a lot to see. The two towers I know that legendaries are involved with. The Kimono Sisters that have all the eeveelutions. I'm betting Sunny would love that. And the Ghost gym. Which I am quite nervous about. My tactics are against stronger foes for the most part. To knock things off balance and exploit weaknesses. Even Zaela with her incredible strength does that. Ghosts live that way.

I've got a few ideas to fight them but that'll be later. Sunny had a rough trip at sea and I've been flying mostly lately so time to spoil her a bit. The Dance Theate is surprisingly interesting looking and flooded with music right now. I know the Kimono Sisters are very traditional but when I come inside I see what looks like swing dance going on. Sunny is fascinated.

"_Mom! Look! They're twirling! But _very_ twirling! How do they do that? Its amazing! Can we try?"_

"Its about the way they are moving around each other. Hips and-you know what sure!" Despite my old life being rather...Boring, I did indeed enjoy dancing. About the only thing I could brag about liking. I wasn't overly good or decent but I put my all into it. Which is what real dancing should be like.

Taking Sunny's ribbons I start guiding her along in an area off to the side as the fairly large crowd dances along. We're in our own world. It must be some sort of community thing as no one stopped me at the door and I see people coming and going. Music that blares to a joyful, happy beat helps me show Sunny nothing she doesn't already know. She may not have formal steps but Sunny was born to dance in glee.

Time goes by as I just let my little girl have the time of her life. We're all together all the time and that's good but I resolve to take a bit of time with each of my family soon. Zaela got us flying and gets that a lot. Mars too but I'm going to do something special for him. The others will come in time.

Right now its Sunny's time and she delights in it. My poor self tires first and I just laugh and lead her to where I spy water, her ribbons wrapped firmly around my wrist as we weave through the crowd. There are other pokémon here among all the humans. Mostly humanoid but a fair number of eeveelutions which I expect.

"Sunny. If you want to say hi to all the eeveelutions I don't mind. Just stay in sight."Her nose scrunches up as she can't decide which is more important. I let her drink some of my water as I kneel and stroke along her fur gently. "You don't have to. Just offering."

Sunny pauses and looks out, spotting an umbreon who is curled up against his owner and she nods to me.

"_Alright! But don't go anywhere. Aurora says you're helpless without me! Well she said that we all were. So you be good!" _ She giggles a bit at her teasing of 'Mom' and darts off. The music is just loud enough that I can't hear her words but the umbreon sits up and they start talking friendly enough. The umbreon's human just seems to laugh and goes back to the conversation he's having with someone else.

Its good to see her like this .Not worrying about anything. Not that she does anyway but as the music washes over me I can't help but think of the rough times I'm sure are ahead. Will Sunny be able to bear it? My other pokémon all can I think. But Sunny is truly innocent. Bah. I'm likely being silly.

"Your sylveon is so lovely. I can tell you love her deeply." Turning I see the owner of the young voice. A pink haired girl is leaning against the wall next to me. Bright eyes gleam as they match the crooked smile she offers me. She's a Joy, but young. Maybe a bit older than me.

"Yeah. Sunny lives up to her name. So I have to love her. Ella." My hand goes out. She doesn't comment how rough it is nor at my eye. I'm a little tired of writing about that. Might just note people who are asses about it.

"Rose Joy. And yes its a silly name. My sister is named Tulip Joy. Mom is a little odd." Her eyes twinkle at me as she grabs my cup and refills my water. "Are you here to see the sisters?"

The Kimono Sisters are a name passed down every generation or so. I forget what age they are in the anime so they could be much older or barely teens now. Either way I nod at Sunny. "Was going to see if she'd like to see more of her kin mostly. This was a surprise here so thought we'd have fun."

Rose simply snickers a little and watches the crowd for a moment as she tosses her hair back. "They have these things every once and a while. This city can be a bit gloomy with the towers and ghosts so this is good. Are you a trainer? Contests?"

I let my dangerous grin slide over my face for an instance and lean forward so she can see my one good eye glitter. "What do you think?"

I get a bop on my nose for that. "I'm a Joy. You'll have to be scarier than that….Trainer." The glitter is back in her eyes as she hops up on the counter nearby and tosses her feet slowly. "Joys heal and heal alone but I'd love to travel someday." She pauses and points at me. "Don't think I couldn't. Even if I do want to set up a Center. I could challenge you if I liked." Up goes her nose and she can't hold it. Cackles at herself are pleasant to hear.

"Oh I believe it. The Joy in my home could bring dragons to their knees." My eye softens and I can't help but let out a sigh. "I really miss her. We were very close before I left on my journey." My eye moves back to Sunny who is sitting next to the umbreon and chatting away. For once she's not overly excited and simply seems to be...Talking. Yes. This was good for her.

"Where are you from? Maybe I know your Joy?"

"Blackthorn."

"Oh! That Joy! She got a lucario! Those are amazing partners. Wish I had one."

I can't resist. Winking I hold up Tru's ball and give her my smuggest of grins. She points at me with a horrified expression and smacks my arm a few times.

"Evil girl! Making me jealous. I won't get my partner until I choose someplace to settle. And I don't want just anywhere. I want a challenge and something amazing." Wait. This can't be real.

I gaze over her slowly and she blushes ever so slightly but then does it right back. Is she...thinking I'm flirting? Am I? I was more or less not interested growing up last life. And as an adult it didn't matter to me which gender, they both were equally pissy at times. Plus I'm ten, almost eleven, now. Well. I carry myself older I suppose. Come to think of it I do look older than my age. Eyepatch, severe bun. Fit body from all the training. Huh.

Back to the girl. "How amazing and how big of a challenge?" Her cheeks twinge a bit as she realizes I wasn't checking her out but does she look the tiniest bit disappointed? I'll let myself be confused about that later.

"I've always enjoyed the harder road. Something worth doing. Most Joys are already gone as apprentices now. I've never really fit you know? Itchy feet and a desire to aim high."

Yeah. I have to see if she's up to it. Is my base in Johto going to be the Charicific Valley? Yikes. I guess it would be suicide to cause problems there.

Standing, I grin at her my most charming grin. I grew up messing with people. She should worry about this smile. The blush is back and I just file that way. Maybe in a few years. "Want to go on a walk? I might have a solution for you."

We pass by Sunny and I touch a ribbon to tell her we're going. I wait for her to say goodbye to her new friend. Rose follows me along as I look up at the sky, sighing a bit.

"I'm building something in the Charicific Valley. Something grand. Would you like to be the Nurse Joy of a bunch of charizard, riolu, lucario and Aura Guardians?" My hand lights up as I form an aura sphere and Rose laughs out loud.

"Wow. Really? Do you know how dangerous it is there?" I nod.

"Charizard are very difficult!" Another nod.

"You still think I could do it?" I just grin.

"And why should I even try for you, fancy glowing lights or not?"

That's a fair question. Fine. Bribery it is. "Well. If you choose this path I can probably request you have a riolu as a partner. The Lucario Kingdom takes my calls so to speak."

Her face grows very thoughtful and she moves her head in towards mine so she can stare into my eye. Lips press against my cheek softly and she nods. My face heats in surprise. Just surprise. Nothing else. "Alright. I'll go and check it out. That sounds like a place to go and brag about to other Joys. I'm at the Center. Send me all the information. Mm. What an adventure that will be."

She backs away with her hands behind her, that glitter back in her eyes as she laughs again. "Thank you Ella. I have a feeling I'm going to enjoy getting to scold you if you're always this bold. Inviting a young lady like myself to such a dangerous life. Yeah. Thank you."

Almost skipping away she lets out a happy whistle as I look down at Sunny, my face confused.

"_Are you going to get married? Our Joy always teases Becca like that. Would I have two moms?!"_

Damnit.

Gym

Last night's weirdness aside I'm ready. This is gonna suck but I have faith in my team. If its more than three on three it will be a bit more difficult but I'm planning to cheat a bit. Well. More like be unfair. Plus Mars says he's got it if needed. He has been going out late at night while we are here for what I presume is training.

Aurora is likely first as she hasn't had a fight since the first gym. Tru again cause foresight. Then its Mars. If we come up against something nuts Zaela. I'd prefer not Query as I don't think he's yet fast enough to deal with ghosts and Wattson has mostly physical attacks that he's particularly good at.

No way am I sending Sunny out against likely a lot of poison types. Here we go. I'm nervous and excited at the same time. So just like every battle. I got this.

The place feels weird already as I walk in. For once I'm alone. I don't want anyone to see my lucario just yet so I can get in a little bit of surprise. No receptionist is there so I tap the bell at the counter and observe how high this gym is. And thick walls, likely so ghosts can move around in them. Ideas come and go and I kind of wish the gym leader here will bring in something big.

Eventually a rather young looking man comes up in a hurry.

"Sorry sorry! We're a little short handed! Hi! I'm Morty. Are you here for a gym battle?" Wait. This kid looks around eighteen. Wasn't Morty rather young? Fine. Whatever. Might just have a baby face.

"I am. My name is Ella Mita." My pokédex is promptly handed over. Morty hums happily as he brings up my records and nods. "Okay! Since you have three badges we'll go with three on three. I don't really have any gym trainers right now so no need to go through that." He peers at me a bit more and shrugs. "This way!"

This seems a bit odd. I follow along through the doors leading into the main gym room and my thoughts are confirmed. Big ol' walls. Yeah. That's gonna suck. "Just out of curiosity have you heard of who I am?"

Morty looks over his shoulder and stops. "Hmm? No. I just did take over gym leader duties a year or so ago though. Why? You famous?" He grins then and its a nice one. Okay. So not insulting! Good. I put Zaela's ball away.

"My mother is the Blackthorn Gym leader. She put out a warning to use your main team around me." His eyes widen at that while he brings his hand up to scratch his chin.

"Tell you what. We'll try that first. Not that I don't believe you but if I give my main team a cruddy battle they'll never let me live it down. So I'm bringing out the weakest of my main team and you beat them? Then we'll go for the other two."

Fine by me! Aurora is getting so close to evolution. "Actually. Do you mind if we wait an hour till dusk? If we do you might see something amazing." Cue Kakashi eyesmile. He looks a bit iffy but shrugs.

"Sure. Though be warned my ghosts are even more potent at night."

"Wouldn't have it any other way."

Morty goes off to continue what had him busy before I showed up. Myself? I sit down in place and start to meditate. Its odd being alone right now. My team never really is upset to be in their balls but I'm used to at least two constantly around me. I'd release Sunny but I'm not certain she'd enjoy the presence of ghosts.

Speaking of ghosts. Their aura is weird. Like an echo. I suppose that makes sense if you think about what a ghost might be but its just...Odd on my senses. As always happens when I meditate its much quicker than I expect to come out of it.

"Ready when you are then, Ella. I'm a bit excited now. I looked you up in more depth while we waited." Morty's voice has a hint of anticipation even without peeking at his emotions.

Standing, I grin and tug Aurora's ball free of my belt and hold it ready. Morty across from me looks more composed. He changed his rumpled clothes as well. A tired looking ref comes out to the field and stifles a yawn.

"This will be a three on three battle between Ella Mita of Blackthorn and Gym Leader Morty." Huh. No last name stated? Bad stray thoughts! Battle! Morty just quietly tosses out a Haunter that seems to suck in the shadows around it without effort.

Aurora pops out with a low cry and she looks curiously up at the creature. Haunter just tilts its head curiously, not recognizing my ancient fossil pokémon. Neither does Morty. Haunter turns sideways in profile as if wanting to look at Aurora with one eye. Making a joke at me maybe?

No orders are told and Aurora seizes the moment. Hail fills the battle arena in thick waves that are joined almost immediately by powdered snow. Its been a while since that first gym and Aurora has put in effort every day to reach the level of the rest of our family. Haunter's mouth grimaces in distaste and a will o' wisp sets himself on fire just a bit or so it seems. Its a bit jarring and the ghost cackles like mad even as he spits out small little flames at my amaura.

They bounce off her safeguard as she continues to slowly freeze the area. She was warned about status effects from ghosts and the last week was perfecting safeguard. I bought it as an afterthought from an actual Silph store when I remembered the ghost gym was going to suck.

Haunter just seems satisfied and finally moves. That was odd. He's going under the floor already as Aurora hits probably her favorite move. Magnet Rise. While good to deal with ground attacks she likes it more to give her time to try to counter from people being dicks under the ground. Okay. From Zaela being a dick under the ground.

It gives her time to start sending back the shadow balls that just haunter's hands fling out of the earth. Both of the detached hands start peeking out, not exposing his whole body as she's smacked a few times. All that do hit are returned twice as strong with mirror coat but keep on missing the small part that pulls out from the ground. Still nothing we didn't expect.

Ancient power is probably Aurora's most potent move. Sure, her ice attacks are amazing but something about the richness of the earth makes her Ancient Power stand above even Mars' application of it. At least until he goes Mega. Simultaneously ripping the ground up to hover Ancient Power spheres and continuing to use her ability to lower the temperature puts a lot of strain on her. My eye blinks. Too much strain.

Her left front hoof is purple. When was she poisoned? He went into profile and pushes his hand down his shadow and into the ground! He poisoned her at the lull and before she safeguarded! Its worse though as I consider my amaura. Every few seconds she winces. Without even a flinch the haunter cursed her too. Fuck. Short time limit.

"Aurora! Don't be subtle! No time!" My sweet, mothering pokémon just nods firmly as she continues to pull up rock after rock in imitation of Mars' attack on Zaela a week or so ago. Eventually Haunter is exposed and is much slower than he started. The cold already seeped into the ground, powder snow slowing him down considerably as he springs forward, huge tongue out to wrap around my girl and restrict her vision.

Someday I want Aurora to be able to put down Zaela in one hit. She has the potential with refrigerate. She's lost this fight already but at least perhaps she can help haunter lose too. Morty's unfamiliarity with my girl does him in. I expect the tactics are to use disable, lick and mean look to slow her down until the damage tics do her in. Perhaps the annoying as fuck hypnosis/dream eater.

Sadly, for him, the biting cold makes her not have to worry about gathering energy for the hyper beam she obviously charges. Haunter just keeps speeding towards her and I can feel both the ghost and Morty's confusion as to why this strange pokémon is using a move that haunter is immune to. Maybe Mega Glalie aren't around yet.

The ice-hyper beam hits haunter dead on and carries him into the torn up ground in an instant. Aurora lets her Ancient Power go and the ghost is hit by both in a massive, freezing explosion that makes me shiver hard. Haunter is out but so is Aurora. Or will be in just a few moments. I'm already starting to return Aurora as what I'd hoped for occurs.

Aurora always has had the biggest heart out of all of us. Her body expands to match it. Growing over ten feet her legs turn from small saplings into massive trunks. Her neck is corded with muscle meant to keep her steady in a blizzard as her fins draw down the entire length of her upper body. She becomes stocky and immovable. She'll never fit on a simple boat again sadly. Time to go on ships.

Evolution cures a lot of things but she's still suffering and while she gives me a pleased, soft croon that shakes the place a little I return her immediately even if I'd love to have her explore her new form.

"What just happened? Haunter didn't feel foresight or anything equivalent that I could tell. Was that a new ice attack?" I just grin at Morty and he lets out a slow, sly one in return.

"Well! Guess you got what it takes. Prepare yourself. You get to see why I've been given a gym so young."

Hey. Weren't the gym leaders at Mossdeep pre-teens? Whatever. Future things! Morty just tosses out a dusk ball and I pale just a bit. Most ghosts are fairly frail. Not Dusknoir. I thought I had the monopoly on rare pokémon here!

Tru pops out of her ball and immediately uses foresight before dusknoir can even move. That was absolutely key for our strategy. The ghost just lets out a low moan of amusement and pulse goes out that Tru shivers at. Imprison. Shit. No Shadow Ball and probably a few other things. Tru springs into Extremespeed and slams a Force Palm into the thankfully quite slow ghost. She closes her eyes and relies heavily on Reader as the burly dusknoir pulses confuse rays faster than Query can do his strobe light trick.

Tru must sense something as she trades blows with the ghost. Ice, Fire and Thunderpunches flow easily from Morty's monster while Tru answers back with the start of Close Combat then jumps away. The edge of gravity hits her and she trips, crashing to the floor as the area she was at explodes in psychic power. When was the future sight set up? Tru uses Regen and eyes her opponent warily before switching to long range. Aura Spheres pelt dusknoir constantly who is thankfully not quick enough to dodge. Things look good until the ghost's shadow lances out with shocking speed and suddenly its within melee with Tru again. Shadow sneak and Feint attack at once. Fuck.

Tru gets a bit stronger from the dark move and smacks him hard with a High-Jump Kick enhanced by extreme speed but the ghost just chortles and shrieks loud and hard. Pain Split makes the fight even again and Tru struggles under the pressure of Morty's pokémon. She stands with my group of monsters daily but something about this dusknoir's aura is hitting her hard. Desperately she tries to Extremespeed away again but a disable leads into an astonish and the ghost's second arm comes around in a massive focus blast it managed to charge at the same time he was restricting her movement.

I know Tru. She would have used Endure but it was Imprisoned at the start of the fight just like Shadow Ball. My lucario crumples to the floor and dusknoir floats right on back to his spot across from me. That's the first real loss we've had since Blackthorn. Still, I let my emotions flow over Tru's ball. Pride. Determination to do better. No guilt or disappointment. Never that.

"Your dusknoir is terrifying. I'm impressed. Well. Suppose we'll see how this goes." I'm excited. I am not sure if Mars' ingenuity and adaptability will help with moves like Destiny Bond and the like but I wouldn't put it past him to find a way. My shiny black dragon emerges with a calm look before lazily taking to the air. Morty's eyes narrow even as dusknoir's shadow is already moving toward Mars steadily boosting form.

Not that he shows it anymore. Turning Mega did something to make dragon moves that much easier for him to understand. The Feint Attack, Shadow Sneak attack snaps up to close the distance even as I see the sparks of a thunderpunch being charged by dusknoir. That's a mistake to show it as Mars changes tactics. Two Shadow Claws I'm positive he didn't know a few days ago slash out and disrupt dusknoir's attack. The ghost snarls in pain and starts tossing Shadow Balls that Mars simply Flamethrowers to block. Air Cutters rain down as dusknoir tries to hit my son with a disable to drop him to the ground.

By now Mars is fully boosted by his dance and begins to compound the issue with Ancient Powers that batter the ghost. The dusknoir is almost out. Pain Split might have helped him a bit but Tru did a fair bit of damage before that. Its still clever though and starts tossing out an intimidating number for Will o' Wisps at the same time and tries to box Mars into more Future Sight explosions.

Mars simply snots and shocks me again. His Air Cutters take on a ghostly hue and Ominous Wind slams down into the Wisps. They explode and dusknoir is lost from sight. Mars jets high and fast and draws up Shadow Claws and a Crunch as he disrupts the Destiny Bond that the ghost attempted to bring him down with.

Morty just laughs in pleasure and nods at me. "Right. So. Hope you're ready. This is going to be a blast."

A massive gengar appears with a cackle that echoes without any sort of aide from the room. Morty lifts his hand and bright light fills the air as gengar shifts heavier. Even more giant the stark white form of Mega Gengar informs me that yes, its shiny.

Mars just glances at me and Morty laughs again in delight as Mars is engulfed in the same energy. When my charizard X is revealed both pokémon start moving. Mega Gengar begins to toss out shadow balls willed with the eerie glow of ghostly fire and Mars slams an air cutter into his back to forcibly move him from the way and exhales a massive smokescreen. Mega Gengar attempts to slam a Sucker Punch up by detaching one arm but screeches in pain when the smokescreen is found to hold an ominous wind in it as well.

Mega Gengar still shoots his attack in, probably aided by the never miss shadow sneak but then desperately hisses with pain and then its entire body disperses and reforms a moment later with his arm returned. Mars emerges chomping at vanishing energy signalling the Crunch he used against the invading arm. Pulsing waves of Spite hit him the moment he emerges and drain some of his ability to use dark energy.

He would be pissed if he hadn't tossed a massive blue Fire Blast at the ground. As Mega Gengar dodges by entering the ground my genius Dragon Blitzes right after and cracks the earth in a psuedo-earthquake. Beat Up clones follow him down and tear into the dazed Mega Gengar.

A massive wave of sludge pools upwards and forces Mars into the air or be hit by the bubbling, acidic mini-pond. The Beat Up clones don't care though and batter Mega Gengar until spent. More double teams than my entire team can use together fill the gym but are almost immediately dispersed by the Ominous Wind that Mars hasn't stopped pushing. Its not strong yet but its disruptive to Mega Gengar's attacks so much I can feel the irritation from here. Shadow Trap keeps Mars from flying too high but he just keeps on blowing out flame to cover the floor, the sludge wave now on fire and severely limiting any attacks Mega Gengar can do from underground without taking damage. What was once freezing in Aurora's battle is now causing both Morty and I to sweat.

Mega Gengar takes to the sky and almost vanishes in speed. A likely Psych Up to my heavily boosted genius is worrying for a moment until he flares his tail into a fire spin around him. It doesn't stop the night shade that knocks him around but Mega Gengar again has to pull back his arms.

Machine gun like shadow balls follow Mars about the room as he swats the ones he can't dodge away with his armored wings and he returns with massive blue flame bursts that explode away from Mega Gengar and forces the ghost to dodge into yet another Fire Blast.

The stark white otherworldly being emerges with a savage snarl and pulses with the promise of pain as a payback hits Mars in the chest. Mars lets out his first grunt of true pain and simply brings two shadow claws down to disrupt hypnosis beams Mega Gengar tried to ensnare him with while suffering the payback.

Then Mars sets off his plan. The burning floor explodes in heat as two massive air cutters feed the flames from snaps of his wings. They explode upwards towards Mega Gengar as the ominous wind my genius has maintained condenses. The result is a pillar of red-purple flame that Mega Gengar wants no part of.

Beat Up clones that Mars formed behind the ghost when hit with payback block in his opponent and there is too much ghostly energy in the air to let Mega Gengar safely disperse. The giant ghost does the right thing and tries to rush Mars to get away but my boy does one of his favorite tricks and explodes a Flare Blitz behind himself to cause rapid movement. Grabbing Mega Gengar with dual shadow claws both fall into the spire of energy Mars created. The shock wave drives me to my knees and I see Morty's grip on the trainer booth go white to keep himself in one spot.

When the dust clears the room is totaled. Numbly I release Zaela. She looks around in curiosity then snorts in pleasure as Mars is revealed standing over the now normal gengar. He's huffing in exhaustion and has some deep bruises but in an uncharacteristic show of pride tosses his head high and a bright blue flamethrower shines to signal his victory.

My starter makes an almost purring sound and uses a low powered surf to start putting out the fires. Morty returns what is probably his starter and grins broadly as he makes his way down. Mars powers down then returns himself.

Yeah he's gonna nap now. Zaela grunts in annoyance. Without being phased by Zaela's bulk Morty grins broadly and offers me his hand.

"That was fantastic. I've learned so much. You too if the way your face changed. You truly connect with your pokémon if they can fight like this without a word. I'd adore to battle you again. And if you ever get a ghost I'd be happy to give you some pointers."

Man this guy is different than Agatha. My grin is warm as he hands me a fog badge. I'm definitely going to pick his brain about my Order. Who says we can't have sneaky members?

The games steadily increased in difficulty. This shows that quite a bit. If not for Mars' insane ability to adapt, mega evolution and the unfamiliarity of Aurora's species I would have lost. Which would have been fine. I'm young yet. My team too.

The world is still ours for the taking.

Hero

Lance hated this guy. Hoenn was supposed to be fun and the last step for Clair to come into her own. Last year in Kanto had him winning the Indigo Plateau and losing to Blaine in the Elite Four (Rematch already planned) so he took Clair to Hoenn to find more dragons for his teammate

Despite the way he was driven into helping his cousin she's been an amazing boon. His dragons have learned so much from her differing style and she's gotten pretty funny after she got over the shyness that she displayed when younger.

But then this guy. Clair said he was pretty strong when she lost to him in a battle in Rustboro. She found him training there and just had to fight him when she saw how strong his metagross was. Which is good. Dragons have to challenge strong foes to grow.

When she lost and got him to try himself he wasn't expecting to have such a close match. He still won but he's not so arrogant to say he wasn't sweating. When the prim and proper bastard asked to come with Clair and him Lance was all set to say no. Sure. Be polite and thank him for the battle but Clair got googley eyes at the stupid idiots suit and calm voice and said yes before he could disagree.

You don't fight with family in front of strangers so Lance figured they could ditch him later.

Now months later they are still traveling together. Lance really wanted to just fly away with clair on dragonback but the prissy boy had a massively speedy skarmory that kept up.

Its not that having a strong opponent nearby isn't good its just that Clair won't stop...Talking about him.

Steven this. Steven that. Fuck Steven. Lance recognizes the look on Clair's face. While he is just now getting interested in girls himself its still too young for Clair. Even a crush. Even if Steven is strong enough to be worthy usually.

Damn it. At least the bastard doesn't seem to notice. Or is smart enough not to show he knows in front of Lance.

On the other hand he can't imagine anyone in Hoenn would be a rival for him when they fight in the finals this year. That wouldn't be so bad. Destroy him in front of the world and maybe Clair will get over it.

And stop making Lance so uncomfortable.

A slow grin goes over Lance's face as he watches his cousin and the bastard set up tents. Maybe he'll introduce this idiot to Ella. See how she tears him to pieces. Even if its hard to admit Clair looks up to Ella far more than to him.

Which is acceptable with how strong she's become. He wasn't there but the few times he heads back to Blackthorn they are _still_ telling the story of Momma's defeat. Just how tough is Ella now? Tough enough to brutalize Steven he imagines.

Then Clair will lay off. Or hopefully wait a few years when he's not there to see it.

If prissy boy wants to face more dragon trainers then Lance will give him Ella. That's why he wanted to go with them anyway. Said some bull about seeing a dragon that could put Lance's starter in the ground and keep on going.

Fine. He said it much more polite than that but Lance doesn't care. The sentiment was the same.

Steven's never left Hoenn and Lance knows for a fact that there aren't dragon masters here to write home about. At least that are in the open. Except for Drake. But the bastard said it wasn't him.

Steven just smiled and only said that the dragon trainer was someone he admired.

Bah! So frustrating. Whatever. A trip back to Johto and seeing Ella would be nice come to think of it. Its been a few years. She's probably destroying gym leaders now and off on her insane dream.

But then he can't really judge. His own goal goes through her. To be the best. She had a head start but he'll overtake her.

Well now he's fired up. Lance just laughs at himself. Yeah its good to have Steven around for moments like this.

"Stone! Get out you're team. Time to brawl."

Nothing was going to keep Lance from the pinnacle.

* * *

**Wonder how strong Steven and Lance will get training with each other? Clair might have a crush on Steven. Just a little one.**

**Hope I got the mega battle down fairly well. The gyms are going to suck now. Chuck and Pryce are both going to stand in her way and they are no joke. Different Steel Gym leader that she has a lot of advantages over in typing but we'll see!**

**Then her mom. Who is training to defeat her daughter. That battle isn't going to be a traditional gym battle. Its ambitious and I'm going to have a massive head ache at the end. Expect it to be a huge chunk of that chapter.**

**Bruno and a Joy are on board! Its a wait and see attitude for them both but I mean come on. Bruno thrives in harsh environments. I have a feeling he's going to fall in love with the Valley. I'll write Liza and him meeting in another chapter. **

**Rose Joy miiiight think Ella's cute. Fun times ahead.**

**Next chapter is Aurora getting used to her new body and a new team mate. Joker is on his way. Not sure if we'll make it to the next gym until the chapter after. Guess I'll find out when I get to writing it.**

**Onto the team!**

**_**1- Zaela the King Garchomp (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Adamant**__

**_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, Double Team, Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, Rain Dance, Mud-Slap, Dual Chop, Slash, Dragon Claw, **_**__**Draco Meteor, Dragon Rush, Earthquake, **__**_**Stone Edge, **_**__**Crunch, **__**_**Fire Blast, Aerial Ace, Hyper Be**_**__**am**__

**_**Combination Moves: Furnace (Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit)**_**

**_**Pain Whirl (Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and Rock Slide with a helping of Mud-Slap. Confuse them in a tornado made of giant pain rocks)**_**

**_**Grinder- Earthquake and Earth Power to simultaneously disrupt movement and provide a sharp incline to speed up Dragon Rush and manually activate Stealth Rocks. Rock Slide to subtly hammer Stealth Rocks towards vital points. Very tiring.**_**

**_**Ella's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_**

**_**2- Query the Shiny Metagross**_**__** (Identifies Male)**__

__**Ability: Clear Body**__

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

**_**Moves: Iron Head, Iron Defense, Take Down, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Psych Up, Gravity, Ally Switch, Miracle Eye , Scary Face, Brick Break, Meteor Mash, Agility, Magnet Rise, Return, Reflect, Double Team, Light Screen, **_**__**Rock Smash, Hammer Arm. Pursuit, **__**_**Hammer Arm, **_**__**Toxic, Shadow Ball, Hyper **__**_**Beam, Focus Blast, **_****_**Flash**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Psi-Fist - A method of psychic manipulation of an opponents gravity and self to make critical hits happen. A variety of punches/strikes with heavy but small piercing-like psychic stabs to balance points.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Two- Constant mind/emotion reading to adapt to attack patterns and psychological weaknesses. Low level confusion waves to occlude and disrupt senses and to influence terror or caution depending on level of threat as well as psychological profile. Can currently use two dedicated brains for state two. Three deemed too detrimental to combat ability.**_**

**_**3- Truthseeker(Tru) the Lucario (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Inner Focus, **_**__**Justified (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Serious**__

**_**Moves: Foresight, Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Detect, Cross Chop, Bite, Mind Reader, High Jump Kick, Agility, Vacuum Wave, Crunch, Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash, Copycat, Rock Smash, Force Palm, **_**__**Aura Sphere, Heal Pulse, **____**Protect, **____**Power-Up Punch, Me First, Calm Mind, **____**Extremespeed, Toxic, Focus Blast, Shadow Bal**__**_**l, **_**__**Thunderpunc**__**_**h**_****_**, Close Combat**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Heal Sphere- Aura Sphere made with heal pulse energy. Very aura intensive but serves as a long range critical heal.**_**

__**EMT- Bullet Punch, **____**Extremespeed or **____**M**____**e First(Depends on move) to target who is attacking ally. Counter if needed while second hand is using Heal Pulse. High Jump Kick away if Quick Attack is not fast enough. Looking into Substitute, Extremespeed and Quick Guard for increased effectiveness.**__

__**Reader: Calm Mind, Mind Reader, Detect to stay in someone's guard. Protect to be **____**used**____** later when unable to dodge.**__

__**Regen: Developed by Joy's lucario. Bounces small Heal Pulses onto a Protect screen to cause small amounts of healing over time. Somewhat draining even when perfected. Calm Mind increases efficiency.**__

**_**4- Sunshine(Sunny) the Sylveon (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Cute Charm, **__**_**Pixilate (Hidden)**_**

__**Nature: Quirky**__

__**Moves: Fake Tears, Tickle, Wish, Yawn, Stored Power, Tackle, Helping Hand, Baby-Doll Eyes, Fairy Wind, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Swifty, Moonblast, Refresh, Draining Kiss, Light Screen, Misty Terrain, Skill Swap, Reflect, Safeguard, Round, **____**Shadow Ball, To**__**_**xic**_**

__**Special Moves: Talk no jutsu. Seriously. Okay not seriously. Just couldn't resist the joke.**__

**_**5- Mars the Shiny Charizard**_**__** (Male)**__

**_**Ability: Blaze**_**

**_**Nature: Lonely**_**

__**Moves: **__**_**Ancient Power, Flare Blitz, Scratch, Ember, Dragon Dance, Air Cutter, Crunch, Bite, Beat Up, Dragon Rush, Dragon Pulse, Slash, Fire Fang, Dragon Rage, Flame Burst, Flamethrower, Metal Claw, Smokescreen, Wing Attack, **_****_**Fire Blast, Thunderpunch, Hyper Beam, Toxic, Focus Blas**_**__**t, **____**Dragon Tail, Dragon Breath, **____**Shadow Claw. Will o' Wisp, Ominous Wind, Fire Spin, Rock Slide**__

**_**Combination Moves(Self Taught): Dragon Blitz-High speed directed attack. A fully boosted by Dragon Dance Flare Blitz combined with a Dragon Rush that can be changed mid attack by using an enforced claw with Slash and Metal Claw to dig into nearby surfaces to a new direction. **_**__**Wing Attack and Air Cutter to achieve similar effects in air. Steel Wing desired. Double Team to be added for confusion once completely mastered. Possible Beat Up Clones when team exceeds six members.**__

**_**Smoke Boost- Dragon Dance while setting up favorable terrain with Ancient Power and hoping for more buffs while covered in a Smokescreen. Double Team and Beat Up to be added later.**_**

__**Firewall- Flame Bursts tossed up high and fed with a directional Air Cutter. Flamethrower added immediately after Flame Burst. Able to use without Blaze but cannot sustain it while moving without ability activation. Ancient Power to be added in slowly. Rock Slide an alternative if learnt.**__

**_**6- Aurora the **_****_**Aurorus**_**__**(Female)**__

**_**Abilities: Refrigerate, Snow Warning (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Modest**_**

**_**Moves: Powder Snow, Thunder Wave, Haze, Barrier, Mirror Coat, Sandstorm, Hail, Magnet Rise, Discharge, Rock Throw, Mist, Icy Wind, Ice Beam, Round, Ancient Power, Aurora Beam, Avalanche, **_****_**Thunderbolt, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Safe**_****_**guard, Freeze Dry, Light Screen. Encore, Nature Power, Blizzard**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Storm Defense: Ability activation, Sandstorm and Barrier. Omni-Directional Discharge if any non-ground types enter the field.**_**

__**7- **____**Wattson(Thunderbug) the Ele**____**c**____**tivire**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Motor Drive**__

__**Nature: Jolly**__

__**Moves: **____**Thunder Shock, Cross Chop, Thunderbolt, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Focus Punch, Low Kick, Rolling Kick, Meditate, Dynamic Punch, Light Screen, Barrier, Thunderpunch, Discharge, Thunder, Shock Wave**____**, Focus Blast, Toxic, **____**Thunder Wave**__

__**8- Joker, Dark one the ? (Male)**__

**_**Possibly the most dangerous. Also a close friend of Query.**_**

**_**9- Angel**_**__** the ? (Female)**__

__**Dedicated healer and transportation specialist. No jokes here. She's the best.**__

__**10- Ghost Tass the ? (Male)**__

__**Not much known. Other than he's got stereotypical ghost ideas. In other words, can be an ass. Also possibly dangerous. But seriously. Ghost. Big duh. But actually isn't all bad! Gotcha! Uses suffering to heal in some way, somehow.**__

__**11- Water Maiden the ? (Female)**__

__**Tank of some variety. Prideful as fuck.**__

**_**12- Legend the ? (Female)**_**

_****Literally a legendary. Seriously. Its happening. Ella's ultimate goal for proof of her path to the world. Loses to Zaela a lot supposedly. For now. Possibly psychic or some mental ability.****_


	11. Ch 11- Adept and Joker

**This is a somewhat dark chapter. It pushes a bit into the M rating (No pun about the prominent dark pokémon either). It won't get overly gory or anything horrible happens to our MC and her team but well. Ella wants to be an Aura Guardian. Sometimes they arrive at rough scenes.**

**Joker is pretty neat though. Hope you like him.**

**Review time!**

**frankieu- Lance can get his own fic to choose! Okay I have an idea. Joy and Bruno aren't fully on board yet but next chapter has them coming to meet Liza in the Valley. So we'll see! Much thanks for reading.**

**Blaze2121- Rose is a pretty fun character to write. Ella is still rather young but perhaps after the time skip? Plus there is another person out there who will like her a lot. I do think they are cute though. Hope you enjoy this chapter! Lots of growth here. Changing perspectives. Thank you for reading.**

**Alakrux- I usually prefer Y for shiny charizard but X for normal color. Mars though might as well be a dragon all the time. Plus his combat style fits more with X. Sunny is going to have a big moment this chapter. Character progression! Always a pleasure reading your reviews.**

**zubhanwc3- Hadn't considered both! Oh shit. I bet Mars has once Ella suggested he had more than one. Eh. They were going back to the Valley after the last gym anyway. Guess we'll see if they find another! You'll see a bit of Bruno's team next chapter. Liza will show her stuff (Charla and Hero-Riolu too) as well. Clair, Steven and Lance? Super spoilers for that plan of mine. So wait and see? Zaela is King for a reason and I hope I've made her very draconic with tempering by Ella. That said. This chapter well. Read on. **

**Last chapter is high on my lists of adding on some things when I get around to re-editing. I was rushing a little there. I wanted to show all eevee forms even if I believe they only go up to espeon/umbreon in the games. Just had too much to do last chapter. I'm glad Sunny has grown on you. Ella's bright girl is going to shine.**

**As to the ghost type like all her choices it was about her favorite mons. Not completely about effectiveness but due to your diligence I shall give a hint! The reason I picked this ghost was because of an entry in ultra sun/moon (might be vanilla sun/moon. I forget). Its one of the very few possibly positive aspects of a ghost type. I will say it is _not _an alolan ghost. Last hints! **

**Alright. Onto the chapter. But first. Any and all who enjoy this. My deepest thanks. I type fast and with many typos. Thank you for bearing past the ideas that sometimes just come out wonky because my head goes faster than my fingers. It is truly an inspiration to me to have any and all support you give. You all are very much my Query at times. Inspiration.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of pokémon. Just the ocs!**

* * *

Adept

On the Road

Its tempting to fly straight to Olivine City but Aurora has a lot to get used to so walking it is. I'm not planning to follow the game either and challenge the steel gym after the trip to Cianwood either. I mean. I guess if the ampharos is sick in the light house we'll have to but that won't happen. Right?

Whatever. So Aurora actually needed a bit of recovery. The Joy in Ecruteak was pretty fun to chat with though we had to call Professor Oak to make sure we did everything correctly. As he technically the Professor in charge of my team if I ever rotate them he got all the info from Devon Corp about my amaura, now aurorus.

I of course already know how to treat her just fine but best to get the knowledge out there for future trainers. Wonder if Pryce will drool at my gal? The Professor was giving me the eye so I just smiled and asked to use a private booth as Joy was treating Aurora. Sunny tagged along. She makes it a point to carefully greet every Joy she sees and tell them all about our Joy back in Blackthorn. They don't understand her but that's never stopped Sunny from immediately requesting Tru translate.

Thank Arceus my lucario mellowed so much. Back to Oaky.

"I thought you'd like to know a bit about my guest. First off thanks for convincing her to come along. Even if you were a bit mean in how you did it." Samuel isn't all that upset. In fact his eyes are gleaming with all the information he's certainly getting. "I'll keep the data a secret until she gives me the go ahead to publish it but even having it for my own uses tells me so much -"

"This is all fascinating but I do want to hear about _her_ more than what she suggests Professor. I'm afraid I only have so long. I have to get Sunny to leave Joy alone so she can concentrate on Aurora."

The Professor just laughs and nods, knowing his habit to ramble. "Right. Well. She's been amazing in learning how to speak to me from Alakazam. She's absorbing knowledge almost as fast as if she were still in an egg." Eggs pick up everything from moves to language. Pokémon who aren't around humans depend on body language and instinct to follow commands. Those who stick around places that humans are are almost always willing to be caught. That's why wild dragons, gyarados and tyranitar are so tough to train. They are proud and unwilling to bend sure, but also haven't learned from birth to understand humans easier.

I've found on the nights that wild pokémon come to visit my camp that its easier to simply use aura to provide emotions or mental images to communicate. Then again my aura makes it easier to teach as well. More on that later someday.

"Beyond that she's explored everything in the ranch at least once. She's got a band of friends as well. Every week or so I let her and her brother talk by way of transfer for a day. Her brother hasn't yet visited but she tells me he's quite interested in learning how to talk to others as she has. Really. Its amazing. Have you heard from the people I've sent along?"

I really do have to thank Samuel. While no real big trainers have been offered he has a lot of connections in what I know I will need perhaps even more than field agents. Support staff. How else would his giant ranch run itself? I asked for mostly former military/competent people who will work hard and for a dream. I've got some money, sure, but until I can get Mars' plan for funding set I am paying out of pocket.

The few that I've approved through voice calls or Mom's recommendation are headed to the Charicific Valley to begin construction. Mom won't let me dip into the money set aside for me from our wealth to fund my journey but she let me use it to set up my first base on a plot of land just outside of the Valley.

Its temporary as once Liza (And I have full confidence she can do this) gets us a fair amount of partners we're going to dig deep underground in the Valley proper. Twenty or so is a good start and all are interested in charizard in general. That's the only way I got them to commit right away. Not just the pay. I want people invested. So we might have our first charizard riders in a year or so.

Haven't heard from Bruno yet but I'm not worried. I can't imagine he wouldn't keep his word. Professor Redwood's list is a bit more interesting but I'll talk about that another time Journal-kun.

"Yes Professor. They're all raring to go. I mean this quite seriously. Thank you for people a bit crazy. Its what I need." He smiles a bit at my expression and nods.

"Right. I won't keep you. Expect any and all reports about our friend to be forwarded. Once your place is set up in the Valley I'd like to visit. Charizard is getting antsy anyway and would enjoy the challenge and I can set up a descent research area there for your Joy to work at. Good luck in Olivine."

I lean back as his picture fades, my wave catching him before he hung up and smile. Lance might be my hero but the good Professor gives me such hope. That good men can be put in such important positions and want nothing but to see a brighter world. Shaking off my contemplation I go to rescue Tru and Joy.

Aurora stays a night and we're off. For shits and giggles I release her nearly then foot form out just as I'm leaving the city to see people freak. She's gotten over hiding and just lets out a low croon I recognize as scolding me without words. Laughing we start along our journey to the sounds of curious voices and clear skies. Okay. Overcast skies. It just sounds better if you say clear ones.

The walk is good and lets her find out how she moves as well as a bit more of her control. The issue of heat doesn't matter anymore. Even passively the temperature around her drops enough that she's fine with any weather. Long days of focusing on her Snow Warning to keep herself cool have paid off. What you want to hear about though is Zaela and her though, right journal-kun? Here it is and its fantastic.

"_Alright Aurora. I went easy on you for a long time. Now that you're all big and beefy lets throw down for real."_ Zaela is still growing but its mostly thickness in muscles and her natural weapons. Her height is dramatically slowing down but she'll probably end up being 15' tall when she hits her peak in a few years. Right now she's just over 13 and staying steady. Its nice for her now to see Aurora at almost 10' to give her some company up high.

I really wonder what my 5' form looks like on my dragon. Might need to get a picture. As it is Zae has to lean down for me to scratch her favorite spot.

"_Yes yes. Calm down. Let me just finish this up for Wattson." _Aurora has taken up whatever cooking she can. As she doesn't have any real fine control she settles for having Wattson, Tru, myself or Sunny help her. We're her hands but she's got a knack for making sure we get portions right. The real aspect involved is that all of her dishes are cold for the most part. Today is a pasta that she's carefully adding tomatoes to with Wattson's help. Its a big hit.

"_Fine fine. I'll go set up a battlefield."_ We make messes a lot so Zaela has gotten even better at cleaning up. Aurora just makes certain Wattson is careful and moves off to stand away from Zaela. Query takes over mixing with his fine psychic control and Sunny hops off to drag Tru off to go get berries for desert. Mars is asleep in his ball again. Another night training to master his ghost moves in new ways.

"_Alright dear Zaela. Do be nice and start just a bit slow."_ Aurora may have been tricking my starter. Over a year of losing to my dragon actually has got her wanting payback. I know Zaela considers this their first true fight. That all that was before was merely raising a worthy opponent.

Aurora just makes an eerie bellow of power and stomps the floor. The whole of the area that Zaela set up for them (and she set up a lot) flash freezes almost. Thick whipping winds of powdered snow steals the breath away from Zaela who can barely move at speed to try and close the distance. My dragon is already breathing fire at the alarming rate that ice is crawling its way up her legs. She attempts to dive underground but an Ice Beam hits her on the shoulder and she just tips over.

More and more she flamethrower's herself in near desperation even as the powdered snow continues to sap her speed. Aurora has no mercy. Much like Mars' first fight with her in Mega, Zaela would never forgive her friend if she went easy on her. A sandstorm tries to cover her but Aurora uses Hail. Before she'd refrigerate her Hail to make it harsher than normal. It was impressive then. Now?

Zaela staggers to her knees and snarls in rage. No one but Aurora has hit her with what is her greatest weakness in true power. Spars against mom's team can't match the power of cold my aurorus can now command. Aurora doesn't want Zaela to suffer but also knows my dragon's pride won't accept anything but the bitter end.

A Ice-Hyper Beam takes out my starter. Its a tough few weeks for her. From Mars' handing her, in her opinion, first loss to this crushing defeat. We're in for a lot of counters to be met. I knew this would come. I'm just glad its before we fight Pryce. I'm barely able to start thinking of applications for Aurora. What must his team be like?

We wait till Zaela comes around before eating. Since its all cold Aurora keeps it nice and ready. Mars even came out and curled around my starter to heat her up after Tru and I healed her as best we could. Ice does not agree with her system at all. We're listening to Query's latest abomination of a combined games rules when Zae finally wakes up.

"_Well that was humiliating. Thank you Aurora. I'm glad you didn't go easy on me." _I can hear the shame in her voice that she was beaten but there's no bite to her words. She knows that this was a weakness but she couldn't comprehend how bad until it happened.

"Zae. Love you." That snaps her eye to me and she snorts in amusement as Sunny runs over to add her love by way of snuggles and bringing her a massive bowl of food. She has to drag it but she gets there.

"_Don't worry Zaela! I still think you're the scariest thing I've ever seen!" _She means it. But her love of Zaela overrides any hint of fear. That actually makes my dragon purr almost as she dips into the earth so only her head is above. It lets Sunny feed her easier. She's not lazy but Sunny enjoys chucking the food in the massive maw of my starter.

"_Oy. Tru. Pass the salt? By the way. You were super impressive today. I used to get beat up a lot. Had a chansey on my team and she couldn't heal me up as fast as you do."_

Tru's emotions scream bashfulness at my electivire. _"Oh. Uhm. Yes well. I was just following Ell-Mistress! Mistress' example. Yes. I didn't do anything really. Thank you though! Yes...yes."_

Wattson just laughs and pats her softly. He's remarkably gentle for all his great strength and speed. _"Don't be like that. Be proud you can do something I only wish that I could. That most every mon couldn't. Plus you can kick my ass up close still. Its pretty hot."_

Wattson isn't flirting really. Its just his way. No filter and such.

"_!...It was not hot. It was..Ah. Cold! Very cold. You musn't say such things like that! I was a prin-I mean very important in my Kingdom."_

"_Wait. Were you going to say princess? You were a _princess_?!"_

Hey. Don't look at me that way Tru. You got yourself into this. I'm a cruel Mistress today. Ah. I can feel your betrayal. Mmm. So tasty.

"_Yes. I mean no! I mean. Uhm. Sunny! Its story time! What would you like to hear?"_

"_IT IS?! Here have the rest!" _The whole bowl is shoved in Zae's mouth. She licks around it in a truly disgusting sound and spits it out, ignoring Aurora making a huff at it. Then my poor ass got kicked dragon sleeps, still snuggled up with Mars. I really wish I had a camera.

"_...well played Tru. You know I wouldn't deny Sunny. Don't you worry though Princess. I shall not be deterred! Hey. If I rescue you does that mean I become a prince? Cause I could totally get that to work. Wattson! Prince of the North! Wait. East? Where are we?"_

"_I want a story about a prince now. And dragons. And ice! Basically about today."_

Sighing I get ready to bring out one I've been saving. Its a pity that my two dragons are asleep but I'm sure that Sunny will want to hear it again. Thus I talk about How to Train a Dragon. (Well. Not my dragons. Zaela would kill Hiccup for what he did.)

"_So. Then when you yell 'Uno!' we all point out who we think is the were-poochyena. Then we switch boulder seats to the music….Wait. Why is no one listening to the rules?"_

Query was very put out he had to start over the next night. Metaphorical tables may have been flipped.

Forest

Its been fun traveling with the whole group again. I'd forgotten how fun it is to scare the shit out of random trainers. Its a little sad but no one really challenges us. Even Sunny is a bit intimidating in the way she dances around my monsters with zero fear. Wattson is the only one who asks for battles to get a handle on some of his skills. Restraint is something we have but he's been working heavily with Tru on his hand to hand since they have similar builds. Fast and heavy strikes.

The few battles we get he doesn't use one electric attack. Frankly its the nights that are the most interesting. Just relaxing and company. Lots of talks about what we want after the Conference. While its been fun seeing Johto we're all ready to find a place to call our own again. Aurora in particular is eager to find a way to have a massive kitchen. Sunny wants a place to dance. Tru and myself too. Mars simply wants his old video game system and a way for him to draw diagrams easier.

Query is easy to tell. More board games. He's easy to please. Zaela just wants to battle more in the Valley. Wattson is the most fun. He's planning to start a sports league of sorts once he figures out what type would be fair with so many fliers in the Valley. None of us think we can't convince the charizard we'll belong there. Strength means a lot and hopefully Liza will have the groundwork done there.

Its on one of these nights that we meet number eight. And that innocence is truly lost.

Zaela was more or less challenging Aurora every other night. We couldn't have her be taking that much damage all the time. It wasn't healthy with how dangerous it is to her. Tonight was, thankfully, one of the other days so we were all sprawled out watching the stars after a big meal of salad and berries. Note. Salad for Mars and Zaela was just a bunch of meat of herd animals we hunted the day before.

Most of my family were asleep already but I was leaning against Query and just enjoying how he was projecting images of all the things he wants to sculpt into wherever we settle in the Valley.

"_I'm especially excited to try to capture the image of Zaela and Mars in the air about to hit the earth. Stuck between two of the realms they share. Someday when Zaela has hatchlings I would enjoy showing them the first time she was truly challenged." _I've said it before. Zaela and Query don't exactly get along in personality but they have quite a lot of respect. And Query loves the idea of capturing moments forever.

"Mm. That's a good one. I'd enjoy you taking my memory of you over Steven's metagross. For me. I know you don't particularly care about yourself in these things but I'd adore it."

"_Of course heart-voice. Seeing myself from your perspective actually sounds int-"_

"_Guardian. Help."_ I'm _shocked_. Aura enhancement ended a little while ago. I'm roughly as tough as an adult human with a fair amount of fitness. When I mature fully I'll be in the lower level of pokémon in terms of durability and grow from there. Thus I've finally gotten to let my senses go back to scanning. I could _not_ feel the owner of the voice sneak up on us.

Query turns, even as I spring off of him and we spot the pokémon. The voice was raspy, dry and utterly serious. Like. Beats Tru in droves at the direct tone of it. Shaggy black and red fur cover a lanky form with a long, wicked snout. Long arms with powerful claws are down at his side to show he isn't about to attack. Query activates Miracle Eye as we eye the Zoroark with quite a lot of surprise. He's here. Finally.

_Joker the Zoroark (Male)_

_Ability: Illusion_

_Nature: Serious_

_Moves: Fake Tears, Fury Swipes. Night Slash, Night Daze, Detect, U-Turn, Imprison, Pursuit, Hone Claws, Flamethrower, Scary Face, Feint Attack, Taunt, Foul Play, Torment, Double Team, Embargo, Punishment, Dark Pulse, Copycat, Sucker Punch, Shadow Ball, Bounce, Grass Knot, Psych Up, Shadow Claw, Snarl_

I'm very, very scared. Not of him. But of what happened to him. After Wattson I was most afraid of Zoroark in terms of what could occur to have him learn all the moves I wanted of him. Fate at the time didn't blink at my choices. But Zoroark work best by using moves that fake what they look like. I wanted that more or less done when he came to the team….But how did he get this far? What could he have suffered? Query's mental echo in my head keeps me from despairing in fear.

Must stay calm.

"Help how? And I'm not quite a guardian. Are you injured?" Fuck how he knows I'm a chibi Aura Guardian? How did I fuck up his life?

"_No harm. Evil. This way. Protected were taken. My fault. Not strong enough. Come. Please Guardian. Bring them."_ He's obviously not been around humans. The language he uses is piecemeal. Probably picked up from other pokémon who might have met humans. Of course its not an actual language as it is the understanding of my words that I can feel in aura. Whatever.

Query pulses out emergency as I confirm that the zoroark finally lets down whatever he was using to block me. Probably his ability works in some way to do so. We're all used to danger. When it was training with Momma she delighted in attacking us at random points in the night to make sure we could always be ready.

"This guy says evil men have taken some pokémon. We're going to go interfere." My voice is cold. I look over at the zoroark. His urgency isn't just in the way his now present aura screams of need. His limbs twitch with nervousness and worry. "Keep it so I can sense you. How fast can you run?"

At that he shifts into the shape of a tauros and speeds off faster than Tru can reach except at Extremespeed. I return everyone but Zaela and ignoring how it hurts without the saddle hop on her back. Even black as his scales might be Mars' tail flame will show up for miles. Zaela springs into the air and keeps us low. I can feel him easily and direct Zaela with almost punches into her hide when she loses sight of him.

The flight is fast and dangerous. Zaela cuts straight through some trees sometimes to keep up and I worry quite a lot about what this will be. Thirty or so minutes of painful flight later and I'm glad that I have leather gear. Instead of shredded skin I'm going to be a giant bruise the next day. More healing practice I suppose.

The tauros pants hard and shifts into a murkrow that appears to flit up into a tree. Likely just an actual jump. Zoroark can't actually fly if I recall.

"_Underground. Evil. Smells of death and fake things. Aide. Please. Not my kind. But protect still." _There is pleading in his voice and my heart breaks a bit. I release everyone but Sunny and move to Tru. She already knows what I want and pulls in her aura to join with mine.

Oh no. The zoroark is right. There is death, pain and sickening evil down there. Its...Cold. Clinical. But evil. Tru hisses with disgust and my team snaps to attention. Query is already shifting into field commander and giving mental directions.

"Query here can connect us mind to mind. Will you let him in so we can go silently inside?" The zoroark gives it no thought.

"_Yes. Guardian. Trust. Save protected. Help and anything yours."_ Shit. If this guy is my eight...And no way there is another wild zoroark in Johto then he's going to fit right in.

_Alright. We're ready. There are a lot of humans, free pokémon who are tainted with evil and many, many innocents. Tru and I are sending you the direction of the innocents. Other than our friend here none of us are really built for stealth. So we're going in hard and fast. Not the front door either. Zaela will be digging us down almost to the bottom floor where Tru and I can feel people asleep. We'll come up there and work our way to the ones in pain. Query you know what to do. _

_Wattson, Zaela, you're in front. No restraints pushing forward. Everyone I've felt would like to kill us. Mars, you and Tru are behind us. Aurora in the middle and focus on sniping with Ice Beam. Friend? I'd ask you stay with Tru. Take her form and help guard our rear. Believe me. You don't want to be in front of Zaela. We do not move forward until each room we pass is clear or Tru says it is empty._

_Don't kill if you can avoid it. We'll need answers._

Query has gotten very strong. There is no strain in his mental signature projecting to us all. The zoroark is very stoic but his emotions read wonder at how quickly we're prepared. As I was mentally giving out our plans Query is already formulating tactics and sending the most likely to the group. The first is that the corridors are not likely to be big enough for Zaela and Aurora so Zae, Mars and Aurora are to use ancient power or stone edge to crack the ceiling and floor where he points out to give us room.

Wattson asks a few questions but everyone else has been training in group tactics more than any other training from day one of being my pokémon. I could care less about one on one battles compared to being prepared for this.

Zaela is silent as the tunnel widens for us. An easy slope goes down as Tru keeps her hand on Zaela's back and directs her. It takes the better part of an hour for Zaela to keep it quiet and also make sure the exit is secure. Query uses that time to build a mental map of the underground facility and we all memorize it with his help pushing the thought in.

Ideas to keep our exit secure are applied and each rock user will raise up multiple walls behind us to keep our backs clear. The lowest level is marked as the most dangerous from a particularly vile aura signature. Zoroark is silent but every command is followed with an iron will of determination. His aura screams in desire to aid those he cares for.

Finally we're outside the wall. Tru reaches out and the mental hum of a command has the wall down in a moment. Three men and one women sleep here in a dark room. Bunks for roughly thirty people are here. The giant 'R' on some of their chests fill me with fury that staggers Tru for a moment. Team Rocket. They aren't overly active in Johto yet but Kanto has problems with them already.

At Query's command both Tru and zoroark move to smash fists into the sleeping Rockets. We note how well zoroark mimics Tru's form and style. The rest of us move to the next door, Zaela pushing up a wall of stone to cover our exit. It stands out but they'd still have to break their way through. Query shows each of the major support areas in the base and we make sure to keep from damaging them.

Two hundred feet to the north and up to the life sources in pain. Subtle actions are done once we exit the room. Both Zaela and Aurora are crouching uncomfortably and Tru counts down in our heads until two Rockets are just outside the hallway.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Zaela smashes through the wall with a roar that echoes down the hall with such force the two Rockets in front of her clutch their ears in pain before they can even see her. Tru and zoroark move the opposite direction and hit the other Rocket with an attack each. He lays crumpled and out as Aurora and Mars shatter the ground, burying exits on the floor below. Zaela has smashed each of the two Rockets into heaps and lowers her head. Aurora finishes up blocking off the corridor behind us as Zaela and Wattson right behind her charge down towards the life we feel.

Zaela is too wide for the hallway. It doesn't stop her. Rooms crumple and snap inwards, walls breaking as the building cracks before she does. Rockets spill from rooms to see the commotion and see a massive jaw splitting the concrete headed right for them. They have no time to scream as Wattson shoots a thunderbolt over Zaela to slam them back into the rooms they came from.

The rest of us follow in the massive destruction. Query constantly pings us with the direction of signatures that he scoops from Tru. Tru barely does anything but move, her eyes closed and constantly sensing around her. Zoroark flits from form to form of my team, clawing, slashing and hammering at Rockets who come into range as Mars and Aurora continue to crack the floor to give us room.

Query devotes three of his brains to light screens and reflects. All are meant to block debris from jarring our path. I simply follow and aid Tru in detecting enemies. It has been barely a minute and the alarms only now sound. A harsh voice screams jargon about intruders. Aurora starts to ice the makeshift barricades to provide more strength and Zaela finds the first of the Rocket's pokémon. All Rockets before then were rendered unconscious before they could react. Koffing. Wheezing, Ekans, Arbok, Rattatta, Raticate, Zubat and Golbat all flood the hallway.

Wattson yells out in the most angry voice I've heard since I met him and a thunder lights up the whole of the corridor. Half the pokémon fall with the single attack. Zaela's building wrecking charge takes out the rest. Query psychically pushes enemies to the side as he near the first goal. He directs Mars and zoroark to the left and my charizard turns a corner to slam into a room. Zoroark flits about him and slices into two hiding Rockets about to ambush us. He is not kind. They live but bleed heavily.

We do not care all that much as Query directs them to three other rooms with similar occupants. Aurora shifts to the hallway they clear and sends a massive Ice-Hyper Beam down just as the Rhydon I detect turns the corner. Its pushed through another room and into the one beyond even as she raises another stone wall and concentrates a blizzard down to flash freeze the entire area.

Drawn out strategies are not needed. Brutal efficiency is our key. Shock and Awe on a scale that none are prepared for.

Mars and zoroark rejoin us. Zaela pauses to change direction and a massive stone edge slams up into the ceiling and smashes into two electrode on the next floor about to roll down the stairs to our right. Zaela starts up again and more rooms are pushed to the side by her unstoppable fury. Mars hits the stairs with a fire blast so hot it starts to melt the metal. Aurora raises more ancient power to block it further as we continue. My starter scorns the now shut and sealed doors to the pen that the pokémon are kept in and simply goes through it.

This room is large enough for all of us. Query has Aurora and Zaela reinforce the room with raised rock. The floor below us is in shambles from Mars, Zae and Aurora drawing rock _through_ it to power their attacks. This was on purpose. The room is a place of death.

Cages line the large room in rows. Various species, most typical Rocket fare but with some rarer are filled too close together. Some bash their heads against the cages in reckless need to attack us. The smell of drugs transfers from zoroark's nose to our mental bond. Rage fills all of us and Query goes through a hundred plans in moments as each of his four brains process.

Plans settle and Aurora, Tru and Wattson join zoroark off to the side to stay here. There are a lot of wounded. Pained. The gestalt is broken for a moment as Sunny releases herself.

"_Mom. I have to stay. I can heal them." _Her voice sounds like crying. I can't. She's so innocent. Joy and light. Why mar it?

"_No. Mom. I trained for this just as much as the others. I know you love me and want to protect me but this is what I want. Let me help. I can take it. I'm your daughter."_ Her lovely voice is firm as she reads my face. Without a word she walks away to a young oddish that shivers in fear from the crashes we ignored. The building is collapsing just as Query wanted. Trapping Rockets. If any die we don't mind.

My beautiful girl starts her Wish. To save those in front of her. Wattson puts his hand on my shoulder.

"_She's strong. This is gonna give us all nightmares but you have to let her help. I'll keep our girls safe. Love you boss. Go make them pay." _He moves to stand with Tru and gives her a warm look as he steps to the side of the only entrance. Aurora is already freezing the edges to make them more durable and I take one last look at Sunshine. Tears are running down her face constantly as she helps a zubat with a wrongly healed wing up so she can help him.

I watch her whimper as Tru comes over to break the wing to reset it. My lucario's presence takes down the tension among all the pokémon. Those that we can save. Already Tru's heart sings with anguish, recognizing that some cannot possibly leave alive.

Then Sunny starts to sing in the hope of her Wish. Bright pink power fills the room as her Misty Terrain begins to comfort just as much as Tru's silent promise to _help._ My little girl looks back at me with firm eyes covered in her sorrow and I turn. Zoroark's steel-willed promise to kill all that would attempt to harm my family comforts me as Zaela, Mars, Query and I head out of the room. A giant slab of stone seals off the lab of horrors and I can hear the crack of Aurora's ice beam to provide another layer of protection. Anyone who gets in will face a hyper beam down the only entrance. Tru will tell of any digging far ahead of things and Wattson will take care of the rest.

Zaela simply stomps her massive foot and the floor crumples like paper. Query immediately turns the opposite direction and gravity reverses on the two rhydon and single magmar that are behind us. Mars is already moving in and sears them all with dragon breath as Zaela slams forward into the Rhyperior that stands in front of a man I recognize. Petrel. He opens his mouth to scream something but then his eyes widen as Zaela's massive form smashes down a dual chop that cracks rhyperior's armor with each strike. The creature howls in pain and attempts to bring hits head down in what might be a Head Smash attack but Zaela's mouth opens and a blinding dragon breath cooks her opponent.

Ever since Mars outdid her with the attack she's been using it daily as much as possible. Rhyperior falls and Petrel runs to flee. Query's mental barriers keep him in the room. It wouldn't matter anyway. All exits from this floor are smashed save the hole above us. He does this even as he keeps himself levitated and two of his limbs savagely bring down the two rhydon Mars softened up. Bullet Punch sped Meteor Mashes are one of his favorite combos and he doesn't let up until they are unconscious.

Mars slams into the magmar as Query finishes his foes and begins to show off his training. Shadow claws hiss out sinister energy as he mauls the flaming creature. The magmar howls in rage and the heat of its flamethrower is felt from my position. Mars blocks most of it with a wing and the two focus blasts he was preparing _behind_ the magmar hit right at the base of the spitfire pokémon's neck. Mars steps aside as it crumples and starts heating the door nearest him with flame to keep the various cowering grunts from attempting to escape.

One grunt near me tires to grab me, thinking to use me against my family. Query lets him approach, feeling my rage. A quick step to his forward foot pushes his body down into my palm thrust straight to his jaw. It cracks as I shift and turn to drive my elbow into his side and ribs crack so sweetly to my ear. The spin continues and my other hand manages to punch him straight in the temple before his broken face hits the floor, cutting off the start of his scream of agony.

Zaela stands over Petrel, anger radiating in the pressure of her barely restrained power. King is never more appropriate. Blue flames pour down just out of her mouth as she barely controls the urge to kill this man. The one Tru and I felt the most vile.

"I don't know who the fuck you are but you don't know wha-"

"Take that tone again and you lose an arm"

"Yeah right you're just a fuckin-"

Zaela, my soul and bonded, reads me well and a dragon claw follows up on my promise. We watch impassively as Petrel falls to the floor, screaming in agony. Zaela's massive foot presses him down to keep him still and she gives into her urge to burn him. That it is to cauterize his wound makes it no less satisfying.

"Take that tone again and you lose an arm"

Now there is fear. His eyes widen at the cold voice I give him and someone near Mars faints. Another pisses themselves from the patter of liquid I hear. Zaela keeps her foot on him.

"Are there any more of these bases in Johto?"

Petrel whimpers at the pain. Query keeps him from passing out with a bit off strain. He can communicate and coordinate well but forcing a mind to do something is for more specialized minds.

"N-no."

"_Lie." _Didn't know he could project like that. Maybe Query is a bit mad.

"Leg then Zaela." Zaela raises her arm.

"No no! No! Wait! Two. Two more! I can write it on a map."

My lip curls. Why am I bothering? "Think of them" There is a groan of pain as Query pulls the locations out with some difficulty. Both are backups. Both geared to explode if not given proper codes that Petrel doesn't have. He's also not even an Admin yet. Just as vile though. Interesting. Query plunders as best he can. He is not kind.

"I'd say send your boss a message but I didn't start this all to be completely clean."

"...what are you tal-" Zaela presses down and Petrel is gone. Broken. I nod in acceptance at what this means and cracks are heard as Query takes care of the witnesses. Sadly, even the pokémon. They were loyal to their masters. There are all sorts of pokémon just as there are all sorts of humans. We're going to have to bury this whole place. The rest of the grunts will be spared who didn't see this execution. I couldn't allow Petrel to live. And Giovanni is already starting. I don't think I can defeat him yet.

Attacking an off the books site like this? A bit different than the Viridian Gym. Someday. Someday I'll have the clout. Lets see if my reputation will help. Olivine is not far.

The next few hours suck. I wish for number nine to be here right now so much. Zaela tunnels constantly with Wattson behind her. They reach every living Rocket and put them in a pit save one. Any that resist are put down but not killed. Their pokémon too. All are ignored when they attempt to plead.

I seriously consider destroying the whole base. I don't. Only the higher members at the bottom are hidden away. I will have enough to explain attacking the base alone. What is worse is leaving the bodies of the pokémon we can't save in a mass grave that Zaela digs. Some Tru put out of their misery. Sunny is constantly in sorrow but the few pokémon that we can stand huddle around her, wrapped in her ribbons. Zoroark stands watch over them all. His protected are mostly alright. We got to them before much happened.

I take all of the unregistered pokéballs that the Rockets have and use them to capture the pokémon that _have_ to go to a center. After asking around I capture a few more who have been in Rocket hands for too long and need help from league workers who deal with abuse. Its a very big bag I fill with them. My heart despairs. Zaela and Wattson stay behind to guard the Rockets. Query and Sunny stay as well to help the pokémon who do not want to leave the forest. Tru I need to help with my talk with the police. I walk up to Mars. Zoroark stops me before I climb on.

"_Guardian. This? Do often? In future?"_ My lone eye stares at him. Any potential guilt is lost in the horrors of tonight. Of the loss of live and the twisted forms of those we couldn't save.

"I can tell you that my dream is to end anything like this and crush all who would dare stop me." Awful as this all was, I know more than ever what my goal in life here is.

"_Must find new protector. Then I come. Join you. Did much. More than ever do alone. Let me."_ My eye trails over his small band of pokémon. Teddiursa. Oddish. A few pidgey and an ekans of all things.

"I know a good man. The best. He loves pokémon more than anyone on the planet. Talk to them about letting me capture them and they will want for nothing for the rest of their lives. When I return we'll talk more." Zoroark makes a pleased sound and goes to his makeshift family. Probably going to be sending him to the Ranch with Sunny as well to visit someday.

Mars and I shoot into the sky as I contemplate killing Petrel. Someone will take his place until Giovanni is stopped. Then there is Magma and Aqua. Galactic. Plasma. So much to do. But I've never been so sure of my path. Hardship and dragons.

Mars circles around and he drags the lone Rocket not in the pit into the air with us. We need proof. His screams don't bore me the entire way to Olivine.

Olivine

My shiny charizard is a sight on the least of days. Him carrying a full grown man with a Rocket uniform and myself on his back? Well. We make a scene at the police station needless to say. The Rocket has yelled himself hoarse and I just glare him down. Mars is probably what makes him cringe as Jenny and two other nameless officers come up with their hands on their guns. I wordlessly pass them my pokédex and make no other movement as they stare at the Rocket.

"What the hell? Kid. Mind returning your charizard?" I do but immediately release Tru. The sight of my lucario calms them quite a bit and anger tinges as they realize that yep, this might really be a Rocket.

"You've got a lot to tell us I imagine. Get this guy into a cell until we figure this out." The Rocket tries to talk but they just march him away as Jenny peers me up and down. I've got rubble stains all over my leather, my hair is barely in its bun and scratches and cuts I don't remember getting cover me.

"Yes. But if you could run these to the Pokémon Center with a note that they have all been abused?" Her eyes widen at the massive bag that she hadn't noticed Mars standing in front of as I open it to show her the pokéballs. "The Rockets were not kind."

I won't repeat the long hours of clean up. I have a feeling I should get used to this. Apparently all the Gym Leaders I've faced, even Mr I don't want to remember your name Bug Guy put down how strong I am in a database that reaches every police station. Its a way to call me up for help if there is a disaster going on. All trainers have to aide if able. Part of the cost of being able to control monsters of mass destruction. I was listed at Ace level. If the day weren't today I'd be quite pleased.

Ultimately after I show them the base and its relative proximity to the city as well as the Rockets I've captured, they let me go for the most part. They do a bit of 'you should have called us' and 'don't do this again' but they also see my team and their emotions tell me that they don't think they could have done it better. They might change their tune when the investigate the base fully. Never am I more thankful that lucario are so very famous for being just. The only reason I go free is because of her and the note from the Jenny in Goldenrod about my run in with the thugs in what feels like ages ago.

Tru radiates sadness but also satisfaction. Our first step into the Order we seek to form. Zaela helps them transport the Rockets to a prison some ways away. She's only gone a few hours.

Almost seven years of training for exactly this. And we obliterated a base in less than fifteen minutes. What would teams of us do? Trained by Bruno. Carried by charizard. Ruling the air. Resolve hit me. I would find ground pokémon. Aron perhaps. Steven knows where they dwell. Sea pokémon. The Lake of Rage. I know how to deal with dragons.

We'd hunt them all down anywhere they might hide.

Before I led Jenny to the Rockets she let me know that the pokémon we had saved would all pull through and be taken to a program that deal with such cases. Many would be released if they wished but many more would find work in gyms or projects that involved their type. After all, pokémon thrive on hard work.

I called the Professor and let him know about ten or so pokémon I might be sending him and why. He didn't disappoint and promised to help them settle in. As well as introduce them to Latias for me. She'd cheer them up.

After all the clean up was done it was time for my team. To heal and be proud of what we had done.

Before zoroark can come to me I hold up my hand. First is this.

"Sunny. Come here." My voice loses the emotionless feeling I've had in my gut since we came into that room of horrors. My little girl jumps into my arms and weeps harshly into my neck. Wattson joins us, wrapping his massive arms around us both. Aurora, too big to do so just gives us shade with her long neck, protecting her family.

Zaela slides under the ground and pops her head up for me to lean against, rough skin and all. Mars puts a wing around Wattson's embrace. Tru just stands nearby, silent but the ever present north of our conviction and sense of justice.

Query is present in our minds, showing his love in the way he knows best. By always watching over us.

"I'm so proud of you. Everyone. We fought to make the world better. Just a little bit. This is only the start. The worst and the best all in one. I love you all."

I pull back a bit and Sunny looks up at me. _"I love you Mom. I hate this. So much. But I hate what could have happened more...I..don't think I'll ever be as strong as everyone else...But you can't hold me back anymore. Put me through what Zaela goes through. What Mars does. All of the rest. No more little girl."_

My heart breaks. But I know its time. She won't be parted from us. Letting go of the bright, joyous innocence I nod. Sunny will always be our heart. She just will bear more for us now. Willingly and with determination. I let her go so Wattson can kneel down to take my place.

Zoroark awaits.

"_Guardian. Protected agree. Seek out tree human. I with you. Find evil. Kill evil. Cleanse." _My smile is watery but he doesn't make note of it as I go to his friends and speak of Professor Oak. About the ranch. My heart heals a bit as I let my wonder of the place infect zoroark's little family. He's pleased at the joy I have at talking of it.

None resist capture and we've camped within range of a Center. They are on their way moments later and I walk silently back with zoroark. My hand offers him a premier ball.

"_Different color? Why?"_

He's right. Each of my team are premier balls. His family got regular pokéballs. Funny. None of mine have asked why I use premier balls.

"These balls are special. Not because they are different in function. They are just recolored regular balls. But they denote something you care about. For me? All of my family are first in my mind. Before me. Premier. If you touch this and join me I will love you and care for you until I die. And beyond. That is my vow. My name is Ella Mita. I will become a Guardian of Aura. Of life. Will you join me?"

Zoroark for once smiles. Its dangerous and hopeful all at once. His paw moves forward and another of my family is home.

With all that happened the addition of him is what we needed. Joyous and new to forget the evil of the past few days.

Sunny is first in our minds as she deals with growing up faster than I think she expected. Than we all did. She might be older than Mars but her spirit wasn't made for battle as his. That doesn't mean she can't find her place though.

Aurora doesn't change much. There is a satisfied hum in her emotions but ultimately she focuses on us instead of herself. The mother of our group goes from pokémon to pokémon to make sure they are fine. Never pushing, just present.

Mars and Zaela start sparring in earnest. My son is lazy no more save for when he needs to truly rest. He borrows my pokédex and pours over maps. Zaela helps him. I think he's trying to figure out where bases might be built based on resources. Or perhaps even planning some for us. They bond a bit over it and I get over my emotions about Zaela's interest in him. They were silly anyway.

Wattson cheers us all up more than I thought possible. We might find purpose in what we accomplished but its hard to just forget what we saw. Wattson's attitude makes the memories fade just a bit faster as he laughs in joy at being alive and with persons he can adore.

Tru is silent and contemplative. Not in any negative way. Just focusing on the job well done. For her it is easy to balance things. She's sorrowful for all that we couldn't do to help but takes the perspective that if we weren't there then it would have been the death of all that we saved. Or worse. Slavery to evil that consumes all.

I let my possible guilt fade at her calm acceptance and the resolve to continue the path.

Its Query who gives zoroark his name and its the bright spot that truly gets us out of the odd funk and into celebration.

"_Not understand. Why two games? Pull from both boxes."_

"_Its to have more fun. And be a bit silly. If I do this I am more likely to defeat Mars as well. He runs on logic and instincts. If I do my best to confuse him I can get the upper hand."_

"_But. You? Not confused? How?"_

"_Oh I am. But I was named for my curiosity. Query. Seeing new things, even if I create them myself carries deep satisfaction."_

"_Makes no sense? About own thoughts? No. No sense."_

"_Hmm. How do I put this? Laughter. You understand it right?"_

"_Yes. No. Don't laugh. Fun hazard to protected. Distraction."_

"_What? No joy? Its what changed my life. Gave me the strength to defend. Joy makes you fight better. Go further. To deny despair and find compassion. Even lack of it can lead to strength. I learned to hate and it made me gain perspective. To see myself better. Because I thought my joy was hurting so very much."_

"_Odd. Consideration. Will seek this joy. Maybe Query right. Maybe wrong. Find own truth."_

"_...you're a real joker aren't you? Lighten up. Just enjoy things."_

"_Try. Warm. All of you. Worth understanding. Promise try."_

"_That's all I can ask. Now. Let me go over this one more time. This is a twister mat and this is charades. We're going to do both….Joker. Yes. It fits."_

"_If say so. Trust Query. You protect family above all….Like Joker does."_

* * *

Joker

Guardian. Remember when I could not speak? Well. Its still preferable to be quick.

I am worried. The family is confused. Things are hard after death but this harder...This is harder.

I still fall back on old ways...When emotion hits. Before this family I was colder. No. Empty except for purpose. To protect. It was what I knew. Query taught me that it was what I liked. Felt like duty but also was warm to know I was strong for others.

My old family is safe because of you. I..not...Didn't tell you how I knew you. What you were. I saw a Tru. A Lucario before. With a man. They talked to me long ago. Before I was big and worthy to protect.

You have the same warmth they did. Felt it from miles away. You had a Tru, lucario, too. You would save my friends.

I'm not sure where I came from. My...parents are only faces. No memory. A long trip in something metal and noises I know are a city now. A crash and fear. Then I was working on instinct. Image to image. Fooling all that scared me. That lasted until I found way. Out of city.

Years? Went by. I grew and fought. Life was life. Hard, but good. I became zoroark and my instincts pulled me to find a pack. None of my kind lived in the forest. Still I felt the need for others. In time I found them. Small. Needed to be protected.

I grew stronger. Just on instinct. Not realization or thought. Because I was needed.

Then stolen. My pack. I could not do it alone. I ran to find food. Then I was going to go anyway. My life wasn't life without my pack. Warmth came then. You. Tru. Query.

The three that I am closest to. Future friends. I snuck and hid. To make sure. Humans lie more than my kind. Without illusion. With true face. Your aura touched me. Brought me hope.

That night told me much. That I was not strong enough. I watched. Saw. Your family. My family now. You destroyed to save. Killed for life. Raged against evil. I knew what I wanted. But I had responsibility. Pack.

Guardian. You offered them a home. For me. They are safe. Forever. I didn't know what to do. I already gave myself. To be yours. Fight for you.

Now I know. Query taught me. Love. Love this family. Love old family. But you loved me from the start. Promised. I felt hope then. Didn't _know_ love but hoped. Now I know. Love makes family strong.

You love. Continue. Brings peace.

Done Query. Thank you. Love you too.

* * *

**Got a bit more darker there. Lots of character. Will see a bit more of it in coming chapters but here we are. Petrel bit the bucket. Kicked the bullet? Good riddance. Wonder who might replace him?**

**Hope you like Joker. Query and he get along so well because of what their priorities are. Both would become exceedingly cruel to save what they love.**

**Not much else I want to say. Just that this is what Ella asked for. And they met it well. Ella's team is meant to work as, well, a team. Individual battles are important but I hope the Momma fight and this give you a glimpse of what I intended for them from the start. To destroy for purpose.**

**To the team.**

**_**1- Zaela the King Garchomp (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Adamant**__

**_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, Double Team, Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, Rain Dance, Mud-Slap, Dual Chop, Slash, Dragon Claw, **_**__**Draco Meteor, Dragon Rush, Earthquake, **__**_**Stone Edge, **_**__**Crunch, **__**_**Fire Blast, Aerial Ace, Hyper Be**_**__**am**__

**_**Combination Moves: Furnace (Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit)**_**

**_**Pain Whirl (Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and Rock Slide with a helping of Mud-Slap. Confuse them in a tornado made of giant pain rocks)**_**

**_**Grinder- Earthquake and Earth Power to simultaneously disrupt movement and provide a sharp incline to speed up Dragon Rush and manually activate Stealth Rocks. Rock Slide to subtly hammer Stealth Rocks towards vital points. Very tiring.**_**

**_**Ella's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_**

**_**2- Query the Shiny Metagross**_**__** (Identifies Male)**__

__**Ability: Clear Body**__

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

**_**Moves: Iron Head, Iron Defense, Take Down, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Psych Up, Gravity, Ally Switch, Miracle Eye , Scary Face, Brick Break, Meteor Mash, Agility, Magnet Rise, Return, Reflect, Double Team, Light Screen, **_**__**Rock Smash, Hammer Arm. Pursuit, **__**_**Hammer Arm, **_**__**Toxic, Shadow Ball, Hyper **__**_**Beam, Focus Blast, **_****_**Flash**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Psi-Fist - A method of psychic manipulation of an opponents gravity and self to make critical hits happen. A variety of punches/strikes with heavy but small piercing-like psychic stabs to balance points.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Two- Constant mind/emotion reading to adapt to attack patterns and psychological weaknesses. Low level confusion waves to occlude and disrupt senses and to influence terror or caution depending on level of threat as well as psychological profile. Can currently use two dedicated brains for state two. Three deemed too detrimental to combat ability.**_**

**_**3- Truthseeker(Tru) the Lucario (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Inner Focus, **_**__**Justified (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Serious**__

**_**Moves: Foresight, Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Detect, Cross Chop, Bite, Mind Reader, High Jump Kick, Agility, Vacuum Wave, Crunch, Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash, Copycat, Rock Smash, Force Palm, **_**__**Aura Sphere, Heal Pulse, **____**Protect, **____**Power-Up Punch, Me First, Calm Mind, **____**Extremespeed, Toxic, Focus Blast, Shadow Bal**__**_**l, **_**__**Thunderpunc**__**_**h**_****_**, Close Combat**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Heal Sphere- Aura Sphere made with heal pulse energy. Very aura intensive but serves as a long range critical heal.**_**

__**EMT- Bullet Punch, **____**Extremespeed or**____**M**____**e First(Depends on move) to target who is attacking ally. Counter if needed while second hand is using Heal Pulse. High Jump Kick away if Quick Attack is not fast enough. Looking into Substitute, Extremespeed and Quick Guard for increased effectiveness.**__

__**Reader: Calm Mind, Mind Reader, Detect to stay in someone's guard. Protect to be **____**used**____** later when unable to dodge.**__

__**Regen: Developed by Joy's lucario. Bounces small Heal Pulses onto a Protect screen to cause small amounts of healing over time. Somewhat draining even when perfected. Calm Mind increases efficiency.**__

**_**4- Sunshine(Sunny) the Sylveon (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Cute Charm, **__**_**Pixilate (Hidden)**_**

__**Nature: Quirky**__

__**Moves: Fake Tears, Tickle, Wish, Yawn, Stored Power, Tackle, Helping Hand, Baby-Doll Eyes, Fairy Wind, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Swifty, Moonblast, Refresh, Draining Kiss, Light Screen, Misty Terrain, Skill Swap, Reflect, Safeguard, Round, **____**Shadow Ball, To**__**_**xic**_**

__**Special Moves: Talk no jutsu. Seriously. Okay not seriously. Just couldn't resist the joke.**__

**_**5- Mars the Shiny Charizard**_**__** (Male)**__

**_**Ability: Blaze**_**

**_**Nature: Lonely**_**

__**Moves: **__**_**Ancient Power, Flare Blitz, Scratch, Ember, Dragon Dance, Air Cutter, Crunch, Bite, Beat Up, Dragon Rush, Dragon Pulse, Slash, Fire Fang, Dragon Rage, Flame Burst, Flamethrower, Metal Claw, Smokescreen, Wing Attack, **_****_**Fire Blast, Thunderpunch, Hyper Beam, Toxic, Focus Blas**_**__**t, **____**Dragon Tail, Dragon Breath, **____**Shadow Claw. Will o' Wisp, Ominous Wind, Fire Spin**__

**_**Combination Moves(Self Taught): Dragon Blitz-High speed directed attack. A fully boosted by Dragon Dance Flare Blitz combined with a Dragon Rush that can be changed mid attack by using an enforced claw with Slash and Metal Claw to dig into nearby surfaces to a new direction. **_**__**Wing Attack and Air Cutter to achieve similar effects in air. Steel Wing desired. Double Team to be added for confusion once completely mastered. Possible Beat Up Clones when team exceeds six members.**__

**_**Smoke Boost- Dragon Dance while setting up favorable terrain with Ancient Power and hoping for more buffs while covered in a Smokescreen. Double Team and Beat Up to be added later.**_**

__**Firewall- Flame Bursts tossed up high and fed with a directional Air Cutter. Flamethrower added immediately after Flame Burst. Able to use without Blaze but cannot sustain it while moving without ability activation. Ancient Power to be added in slowly. Rock Slide an alternative if learnt.**__

**_**6- Aurora the **_****_**Aurorus**_**__**(Female)**__

**_**Abilities: Refrigerate, Snow Warning (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Modest**_**

**_**Moves: Powder Snow, Thunder Wave, Haze, Barrier, Mirror Coat, Sandstorm, Hail, Magnet Rise, Discharge, Rock Throw, Mist, Icy Wind, Ice Beam, Round, Ancient Power, Aurora Beam, Avalanche, **_****_**Thunderbolt, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Safe**_****_**guard, Freeze Dry, Light Screen. Encore, Nature Power, Blizzard**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Storm Defense: Ability activation, Sandstorm and Barrier. Omni-Directional Discharge if any non-ground types enter the field.**_**

__**7- **____**Wattson(Thunderbug) the Ele**____**c**____**tivire**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Motor Drive**__

__**Nature: Jolly**__

__**Moves: **____**Thunder Shock, Cross Chop, Thunderbolt, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Focus Punch, Low Kick, Rolling Kick, Meditate, Dynamic Punch, Light Screen, Barrier, Thunderpunch, Discharge, Thunder, Shock Wave**____**, Focus Blast, Toxic, **____**Thunder Wave**__

__**8- Joker**____** the Zoroark**____**(Male)**__

**_**Ability: Illusion**_**

**_**Nature: Serious (as fuck)**_**

**_Moves: _****_Fake Tears, Fury Swipes. Night Slash, Night Daze, Detect, U-Turn, Imprison, Pursuit, Hone Claws, Flamethrower, Scary Face, Feint Attack, Taunt, Foul Play, Torment, Double Team, Embargo, Punishment, Dark Pulse, Copycat, Sucker Punch, Shadow Ball, Bounce, Grass Knot, Psych Up, _****_Shadow Claw, Snarl_**

**_**9- Angel**_**__** the ? (Female)**__

__**Dedicated healer and transportation specialist. No jokes here. She's the best.**__

__**10- Ghost Tass the ? (Male)**__

__**Not much known. Other than he's got stereotypical ghost ideas. In other words, can be an ass. Also possibly dangerous. But seriously. Ghost. Big duh. But actually isn't all bad! Gotcha! Uses suffering to heal in some way, somehow.**__

__**11- Water Maiden the ? (Female)**__

__**Tank of some variety. Prideful as fuck.**__

**_**12- Legend the ? (Female)**_**

_****Literally a legendary. Seriously. Its happening. Ella's ultimate goal for proof of her path to the world. Loses to Zaela a lot supposedly. For now. Possibly psychic or some mental ability.****_


	12. Ch 12- Adept and the Vacation

**Back again! After the bit of darkness last chapter Ella had a realization about something her team hasn't done. Hope you enjoy this much fluffier chapter. Don't worry. Steel gym will be towards the end with some nifty battling.**

**Also, Bruno, Liza and Rose Joy in this chapter's second perspective. Things at the Order's potential first base are becoming interesting.**

**Reviews!**

**Muncher50- I'm going to maintain this pace so long as my inspiration holds and I have free time. Free time right now is plentiful when not at work so yay! Joker was always going to have a name that was a joke. Get it? Hah. Sorry. But considering how power heavy Ella's team is she needed a couple rogues so to speak. Tass the Ghost will be a bit more of that. Joker's fighting style will be a big part of the start of this chapter. Ella's had a long time to think of how he can use his ability. You're guesses are pretty good! PM if you want confirmation/denial in earnest but yes. Like your reasoning. Glad my legendary isn't that obvious. There are clues! Last chapter had a big one but it might not be apparent and wasn't directly referencing said legendary. Thank you immensely for your kind words. It'd be flattering for this story to get popular sure, but I really just am happy if even a few enjoy it. I hope my passion for Ella and her team comes through clearly.**

**Clarky1013- I uhm. Am oblivious sometimes? I just now noticed the chapter people were on when reviewing? Uh oh. Some of my responses were off where people could read them next in line. Er. Hopefully you get this in context? Your three word review got me a bit misty eyed. Thank you.**

**Alakrux- Sunny had to get more aware sometime! Her empathy is her greatest asset and all the pain she was exposed to has firmed up her conviction. I was very vague about Joker before he showed up to, admittedly, try to trick people about his dark typing. Make him seem way different than he actually was. I always liked that zoroark were so committed to their pack. That more than anything solidified him being in Ella's family. And being Query's best bud. Much appreciation for your review as always.**

**frankieu- Team Rocket was always going to be the first Team that Ella 'n' crew were going to come across given the region they are in. This was probably my favorite chapter to finish. Its proof to her that her team's years of effort let them do exactly what she hoped to do. Kick ass for a good cause. As to the Admin/Executive who will take Petrel's place? I know who it is and oh my will it be fun.**

**Blaze2121- They are a thing! Ace and maybe G-Men too. We'll see if Lance forms them if Ella's Order gains traction. I have plans to show them after the time skip. I'm very much trying not to have things become so grim without a good balance. High priority this doesn't become overly angsty. I very much dislike heroes who spend too much time worrying about a problem without being proactive. Ella is funneling her blahness into getting stronger. She knows she has no control over Fate and Destiny so its just a matter of her adoring the ones coming into her life. Appreciate your words as always. Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Enormtpucko- Good guesses! Let me know in a pm if you wanna know for sure. No worries if you want to be surprised. Water Maiden will show up before the last gym along with the rest of the team. Legendary will be after the time skip. I'm a little worried about burn out with how fast I'm writing but really the hours just fly away when I'm trapped in this dream of mine. Still the first thing I think of when I wake up and last before sleep until I get most of it out of my head. I'm taking time to pause and do other things though. I know my chosen form to write this is wonky to a lot but I'm glad you enjoy it. And that others have at least accepted its how this story is going to continue. Heh. I've no formalized education in writing. Just vague ideas I recall from high school. So I just went with what I imagined. Hope you enjoy it as it continues and thanks for the review!**

**zubhanwc3- You tend to figure out my plans for the next chapter! Enjoy the fluff of this chapter to help cheer up the blah of last. Zae is gonna be unstoppable. Someday. Joker will mellow. His perspective of not knowing what to make of the human world will be fun to write. It was small, but Query dug for more. Ella was just done talking to a man that was poison to her aura. We'll see in time what Query got from Petrel. **

**And yes! Sunny is growing up splendidly. She'll still have her brightness but she's gonna get serious when combat comes about now. Most of the major events are in my head. Outlined over probably almost a decade of thinking about this in one form or another. I don't have a written outline save for Ella's pokémon. They're the ones who shape the story past the events I've got planned. The focus will always be them over big events. **

**To put it in perspective, I've written two chapters from scrap in a single day from memory and how my characters would react to events. For Tass the Ghost, you're thinking right about him. The entry refers to his past though. Just wait to see! He's about four or five chapters away. Angel will surprise people! Don't worry so much about her personality. Its a different quirk that is interesting about her. Something physical. Thanks for your review! They always make me think.**

**Guest- What a great name! Just teasing. Really, adore your compliments. Puffed my chest up a bit and dealt with a few doubts. Ella's team has been whispering their stories to me for years. Something I see a lot in fics about this world are characters getting so strong very quickly. I wanted to write a story with a very powerful team but also have it make sense. Momma was born the next day. Hannah Mita the day after. The two giants that shaped the lives of our MC and her family. This whole experience has been a blessing for me to write but what I'm truly excited to share is when the Guardians are strong. When they can affect change across the world.**

**Its a while to get there yet. I might rush a little but Ella is likely to only do one Conference. You'll see why at the end of it and I hope it satisfies everyone who reads it. Ten years is not a long time to set up what Ella wants but it is a long time for a story. Thank you for your kind words. I'm not doing this for the reviews/follows (Even if I love reading all of them. Seriously, they make my day) though they are nice. To put a bit out there about why I am so passionate about Ella's story, well. She's based after someone who isn't with us any longer. They shared a love of pokémon with me and Angel was their favorite type. Ella the person taught me a lot. This whole thing will always be dedicated to the real person behind it….Might be another reason I'm typing so fast. Maybe they're reading it out there in the beyond.**

**weather witch nami- Wow. I. Wow. Thank you immensely for the words. Just. Yeah. Uhm. Moving on.**

**Enough heavy crap. Time for some much needed fluff.**

**Might have to PM reviews too. Or write back less. I'll decide later.**

**Onto the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything of pokémon. Just my ocs.**

* * *

Adept

Olivine

Something occurs to me shortly after my team gets their regular checkup by Nurse Joy. They're all fine by the way. Zaela might need a bit more iron to help grow her already horrifyingly large claws but its nothing bad. We've been a bit distracted with Aurora's evolution and the last few days.

But yes. We haven't had a real vacation ever. Some days off and a few attempts but all of those were within Blackthorn. You never truly relax at home. Mom and I had spa days certainly but not my _team_. So I declare a two week break to do whatever we want. As well as at least one day for me to spend with each of my pokémon individually (Unless of course they request someone else to tag along) doing whatever they like. They insisted I have a day to myself too which I'll get to after all theirs. Before that though we put Joker through his paces as we always do with new teammates.

Its easy to see how his fighting style evolved. Quick, savage strikes with subtle uses of his ability. The talent he has in isn't say, giant, amazing pictures but showing himself just a few inches to the side of where he's at in close combat and sharp noises/distractions that make people draw their attention away from where he actually is planning to attack. After the two weeks off we'll train a bit more to get him some fighting moves for the steel gym and we'll see if we can't fake Mars somewhat.

I'm imagining the idea of whomever the gym leader is here trying to defeat Mars, revealing Joker, then have to actually face Mars. Using a zoroark in the games was always fun. This is going to be hilarious. I'm a bit spoiled with Joker. He came to us stronger than most. A few amusing bits of trying to explain a gym to him.

"_Fight? Food? Territory?"_

"Its more or less to prove yourself. Show that you are strong to any who after who would stand against you. They give an item that shows you won."

"_Why? Strong about you. Others test it. Show. Why go seek?"_

"You wanted to seek out evil? Right now we're still getting stronger. So none can stop us when we push forward."

"_...odd. Still. Think. Sure they not have food? Fight for food good fight."_

Well, he has been eating a lot. I may want to make sure he knows that he's going to get the same amount of food each day.

"_Will go help Wattson and Aurora. Food makers. You eat more? Tiny. Humans larger."_

Excuse me? Wait. Wait. He's probably not seen smaller humans.

"I'm fairly young. I'll grow a head or more taller than I am now...Also that was sorta insulting. I know you didn't mean it but I'm a bit sensitive about my height."

"_Why? Hurt small? Easier to duck attacks. Meant wide. Humans big."_

Rather than answer I sigh and walk away. He'll get it in time. The week we spend outside the city is't true training. Its to let Joker watch us all move. By the end of the time there he can imitate the fighting styles of everyone save Zaela. Too much raw power there. When we come back after our vacation I have big plans for a move I really should have my starter and Joker teach everyone who can learn it. Dig. But! Onto the vacation!

Olivine is huge. Every 'City' is huge that is named such. I don't recall the anime all that well compared to the games. The games, of course, do a piss poor job of showing scale. There is a lot to do in Olivine but what I look for first is a hotel that caters to larger pokémon. Mars' idea is bearing fruit for money and I decide to let us splurge a bit for some pampering. Look. I may be a hard as rock bitch of a person to opponents. I may train endlessly without complaint...But every girl has to have some pampering. Noting exciting. Just some massages but its the point of it!

The boys will just have to deal with it. I suppose I should talk about Mars' money making idea. He's sent Dad, who I haven't heard from in ages, the idea of Google more or less after hearing about the things I miss the most. The internet here is odd. More email than anything but my Dad thought it was brilliant and got in touch with someone more specialized. Its starting to gain traction especially as Mars suggested asking Devon Corp if they wanted to buy ad space.

And the name he suggested to call it made my metagross go silent for days, just overcome with yet a new emotion he wasn't familiar with. Query the search app launched small but is already becoming bigger and bigger in the roughly four months since we left home. Query used Query the first day it launched and couldn't speak. Mars knows how much it meant and they haven't said anything about it. Just the steady pulse of heartfelt humility that Query has. Its not surprising. Everyone knows Query is my inspiration.

Mars may be a bit aloof but he knows how to hit home about something when it occurs to him. I'll call it Queryapp from now on if I mention it again. Mars is also asking me a lot of questions about my old life to likely subvert more ideas for this one. I don't particularly like talking about the fuzzy memories that my past life is becoming but he's quite persistent and I've never denied him what he wants before. Probably because he's just so smart about things.

Zaela I denied things all the time. Mostly with 'no you can't eat that' attached to it until she got older and worldly.

The Sea Scale Hotel is where we pick. Its big, fairly close to various parks that my team would be allowed in and has a massive basement for larger pokémon. It even has an in house Joy that works there part time. Check in was interesting.

"Welcome! May I help you?" This person is one of those asses who just couldn't look away from my eyepatch. Today is Aurora's blue, light blue and white patch. I don't give a shit that it doesn't match my cream and deep pink, nearly red leather outfit. Sunny asked me to wear them together so it felt like she and Aurora got to ride on me. She still remembers being able to sit on my head fondly.

"Sure. I'd like the biggest pokémon room you have available." The rooms are pretty pricey even if they don't have a huge amount of furniture.

"Are you certain? The ones we have a quite large. An onix fit in one a few weeks ago my dear." Oh. Don't think a girl my age could have giant mons? Going to treat me like that? I must not be bitchy. Not yet.

I eyesmile a bit and push across my pokédex witch acts as a credit card. The annoying lady across from me just lets out that soft sigh of frustration that you might make when someone is obviously making a mistake. Her eyes widen a bit at my Ace level, as if there is a disaster the hotel will be immediately called to find me if I'm there. She gulps a bit as I let my Zaela grin flash.

"Something the matter?" She just shakes her head some, face pale at something that pops up from my file. I take the card key silently and without giving a shit for the gasp she gives, reach across the counter and tug the screen so I can see what her eyes focused so hard on. Ah. Apparently my first flight with Zaela in Goldenrod has been going viral within the league. They have that as my identifying picture. My face is savagely happy and Zaela's jaw is open mid-roar. Whoever set that up in the Ace-level information deserves a pat on the back.

Why is this hotel able to access this so easily? In addition to catering to trainers it also has official battle halls. Not quite up to Battle Trees, Chateaus or whatever they all were in the games. Its just enough that it qualifies as a league post though.

"That's a good picture. Mind printing me a copy? I can hang it for Zaela in my room. She looks quite happy doesn't she?" My finger trails slowly down the image of my starter. The just over 13' foot dragon that carries my tiny form in comparison. Fine. I'm my mother's daughter. The poor woman simply nods and promises to send a picture down for me later.

I'll have mercy. She wasn't that bad all things considered.

Down I go in the elevator. I pick the lowest floor to let Zaela feel more at home and hopefully have it cooler for Aurora. She doesn't need help anymore to feel comfortable but she still prefers colder areas. None of my pokémon are out just now. Tru spent most of last night with Joker, starting him on fighting type energy and Sunny is a little under the weather from playing with some poliwag we met. She's got a particular soft spot for them, even if the ones at 'Oaky''s lab were kind of mean.

The room I come into is kind of like an underground garage in space. Tall ceilings and various sectioned off area. A sand pit rests next to a giant heat lamp. A fairly decent pool beyond that. I know these are communal areas for the pokémon but no one appears to be using them right now. Our room is a bit of the ways down and is behind a fairly large door. Zaela and Aurora won't fit through but anything below them would.

I find my room and enter to find almost an apartment loft of sorts with the same size of ceiling. My team pops out later. Mars immediately takes Sunny, who is listless and sniffling, to a nearby bed he recognizes as fireproof and curls around her so she can nap in warmth.

"We're here. Two weeks. Only light training in the mornings to keep up your strength. The rest of the time lets have fun." There is a cargo elevator at the end of the hallway for my pokémon to leave if they wish and explore the city, though I warn them to go in pairs if they want to walk about save Tru. No one could sneak up on her. Most decline to do so unless I'm going with them. Its always been interesting to me how utterly loyal pokémon are. They just don't want to be parted from their chosen leader.

"Aurora? You're up first for your day. Anything in particular you want to do?" My aurorus is standing quietly near Mars and Sunny but also careful not to lower the temperature to make Sunny's sickness worsen. The Pokémon Centers can do a lot for physical injuries but colds and diseases are still fairly intensive to deal with. Sunny would be fine in a few days, just in time for her day out.

"_I'd like to save mine for when Wattson and Sunny are both able to attend, if that's fine?" _Her voice is _very _amused at something. Maybe I should be worried?

My family more or less picked the order they wanted and Query steps forward.

"_My turn then. Just us. I asked myself for what I wanted." _Yes, this is how Query uses Queryapp. He asks 'himself'. He thinks its hilarious. _"Come. I don't mind my day being somewhat started."_

Shrugging I set down my pack. Wattson is heading to turn on the TV with Tru following. Joker has taken to sniffing random things and bringing them to Aurora to ask what they are. Once he found out that Aurora had essentially been dead and brought back to life he considered her somewhat of a miracle, just as I do, but also a wise person. Which is quite true. Thus she gets endlessly asked questions about what things are. Considering how new she is to this time it ends up with some strange conclusions

I had to assure them constantly that hot dogs were not houndour or growlithe pups and that the refrigerator was not a pokémon due to it having the same name as Aurora's ability. Joker just looked confused and I'm pretty sure Aurora knew all of this but just wanted to tease me. All I got was a serene smile for my accusations.

Brat.

Query led me out and it was pleasant to walk with him. Massive and shiny as he is. Stares are becoming something I'm just used to. I know most trainers keep their pokémon in their balls. My family say the storage devices are actually quite comfortable to be in but they prefer being out with me. I do my best to not deny them.

"So where are we going? You haven't told me what's going on?" Just to fuck with people I jump onto Query's head with what must look like an impossible leap. Its not without purpose. Rumors of a girl with powerful pokémon will only aide me later this year.

"_Much of our life now is filled with stress. I had thought perhaps we could go buy each of our family a gift. No special occasion. Simply affection."_

I really shouldn't be so surprised. Other than his board games Query is unfailingly selfless. A slow nod as we head to a nearby mall. People stop and stare constantly but Query just hums low noises of amusement. Other pokémon are around with their trainers or even alone but we take the cake for certain. Metagross are rare in this part of the world after all. No less a shiny.

The next few hours are spent in silent companionship. Query's aura sparkles with deep abiding care for me and I make sure to keep a hand on him whenever we aren't adding ot the psychic bubble of gifts he easily has hover behind us.

For Aurora we buy a few cooking books, mostly simple, but also a thick, insulated blanket five times larger than normal. It'll trap her coldness and the purple it is edged with matches my eyes.

For Mars we get some notebooks and larger than normal pencils and markers. The notebooks are the type that have large sketching sheets for paintings or portraits but in his hands will be more or less a regular notebook in scale. Query also selects another leather strap for his Mega Stone that is purple tinged as well. I'm sensing a theme.

To Sunny we get a large assortment of ribbons to hang on her own ribbons. She's honestly the hardest to buy for because even after our Rocket run in she remains so very happy. Finally I get an anatomy book for a large number of pokémon in respect for her wishes to help Tru. Query picks a sparkly collar with sequins that you guessed it. Are the purple of my eyes.

Zaela is nearly as difficult until we come across the monster movies. This would be a mistake later when its her turn for a day out. Godzilla equivalent tapes make their way to our gift piles and we find a large purple pack I can attach to her saddle.

Wattson is the easiest to buy for. A big huge wrestling belt, a fake sword and a massive amount of spices are his gifts. Since that first night he's the one who's always tried new foods and let himself enjoy the bad and the good. Aurora just tosses berries randomly into his food and he's adored it ever since. The spices will just add to his like. Query finds a watch meant for electric types to power and we get it in purple. Of course.

Tru gets a thick mat to kneel on to meditate, a lot more advanced books about medical care and a romance book I hide from Query. She hides it well but I know Tru often will watch sappy rom-coms if no one is looking at Pokémon Centers we visit. I pick her purple leather bracelet. Someday I hope to put a mega stone in it, but for now it just is a pretty thing for her to wear.

For Joker I get a visual encyclopedia of every pokémon currently known and photographed. Its huge and bulky but I know he'll enjoy attempting to figure out illusions for them. Along with that is a rather large purple sash he can wear around his waist.

And for Query? I buy him a bowtie. It fits his demeanor when he isn't angry and he absolutely adores the 'wtf' looks people give him. Its massive and we have to get a magnet to keep it on him but its worth the effort. My true gift is something I _hate_ but I know he'll enjoy having in his memory. I put on a dress for him to take a mental snap shot of. For his sculpture back in Blackthorn. It matches all the rest of the purple we get and leaves my arms bare with delicate straps to show off my toned form. Even if I am eleven I get stares for how fit I am. Nothing creepy but its obvious that I put in a lot of effort.

I refuse to change my boots though. Which would ruin the image for anyone but my boy. At his insistence I let my honey blonde hair down. Yay. I know how much it means to him though.

We go home to happily sleepy pokémon and pass out the gifts. Everyone likes them with stand outs of Wattson performing a mock duel with a very hesitant Joker. Once Sunny's giggles (sick and all) cause her to roll around on the floor our zoroark actually smiles and just shifts into the form of a machamp and proceeds to 'wrestle' Wattson for his belt once my electivire explained the gag.

Aurora immediately is absorbed in her cookbooks and can't be pried away until she finishes them days later. Query patiently turns every page for her. Mars just nods his thanks and is in a similar vein as he just jots down notes constantly until its his day with me.

Sunny and Tru get into a huddle with their books and spend most of the week figuring out the quickest ways to properly heal injuries. I've never seen Sunny so focused. I also get the pleasure of seeing Tru look _very_ startled at the book I subtly give her but also give me a quick, pleased smile and hurry off to hide it in my pack.

Zaela, who has to be careful moving about the room even more than Aurora, kicks Wattson off the TV for days while she binge watches monster movies. I regret this immensely. Later on that.

Joker doesn't show it but his aura fills with appreciation for his gift. The concept of giving is new to him and he spends a lot of time helping everyone (mostly by delivering food that Aurora makes) else stating:

"_Guardian. Example. Follow. No items. Just me. Give of self. Help."_ He fits in fine.

Everyone proudly wears their purple gear and I wipe away a tear as they show me them. Joker even seems to get how much it means to me plus he starts sticking snacks into his sash, his instincts still telling him to hoard his own food.

The next day is Mars' and he just requests we head to a place we can read. I'm actually very fine with this. In my previous life I loved reading almost as much as games. We find a open air area near a library and I check out books to read just outside in a nearby park. People stare at the black charizard laying on his side, tail swishing as he pages through novels. For once he's taking pleasure in something not towards our purpose at my insistence and I resolve to buy him more books. I'm stupid. He liked video games didn't he? He'll enjoy other things I did alone too likely.

As with all good reading, we don't notice the hours fade away and we head home happily full of new stories. He takes after me a lot.

Sunny feels better by the time its her turn and requests we go to a park to meet friends. Wattson offers to come along and of course Sunny agrees. Panicked screams echo through the room as Zaela laughs loudly at the scene of a giant dragonite destroying what suspiciously looks like Saffron City. Huh.

We ask around from local pidgey and find out where they find the people who tend to feed them a lot. Sunny just yips about in joy at all the people and books it towards the jungle gyms. My bright girl has taken training to a new level for her, at least before we started this vacation and she's often muttering Tru's advice about emergency treatment under her breath but its good to see her play.

"_Hey Boss. You know how Tru likes me? Do you mind if I spend my day with her instead of you? I still love yah but well. I'm shit at hiding my emotions. Why would I? So want to make it clear before I muck it up that I like her mon to prettier mon."_

My eye shifts to him with surprise. Wattson is always doing that. A jolly goofball one moment then intensely empathetic the next. Of all my pokémon he's the one who says what he is thinking the most and its almost always just plain nice.

"Of course. Its your day. Do you want a suggestion?"

"_Oh! Yeah. I've never really been after a gal before. Figure I should be myself but you can do that and be considerate too, right?"_

"….I don't know if I need to give you suggestions. Damnit Wattson. You're golden. No pun." I say that last part hastily as he opens his mouth with a grin then shrugs to let the potential teasing go.

"_Hmm. She likes epic stories yeah? About truth? Maybe go see some sort of poetry thing. I mean it doesn't sound overly great to me but I can learn for her. She seems to like calm things….and you don't mind right? That I like her?" _He actually seems nervous. I guess I can see why. It would change our group a lot.

"I'd never stand between you and what makes you happy. Tru does like you. Just be your kind self and be patient. She was pretty fiery when we first met. I think she still sees her old self with a bit of shame. Its why she's able to be so patient now. Something she doesn't want to repeat...But I also think that as good as she is with the emotions of others that she can't understand her own. I really don't think you have to worry. You're you. But keep it in mind."

Wattson just gazes at Sunny as she starts to push a child on the swings with her ribbons. _"Yeah. Never really doubted myself. Even before I met you all. I knew it wasn't my fault about how I ended up in that clearing. Not yours either before your face gets all crinkly. Like a butt head." _His booming laugh startles a few people near, as if they didn't see the tall ass electivire. Idiots.

"I'm getting better. I can't change what has happened. That said, if you hurt Tru I'll introduce you to Momma and have her treat you like she did Zaela and I." I'm happy to say that my scary smile is strong. Wattson just hastily nods as we go to help Sunny preside over her loyal force of children. The hours pass full of simple joy.

What she asks for at the end of the night as I lay in bed is what gets me though.

"_Mom. Can I sleep with you tonight?" _We all more or less huddle when traveling and I realize she hasn't slept in my bed since Blackthorn. I've been in maybe two Center beds since then. Usually we sleep outside of them. My throat chokes up a bit and I tug her into my arms. Her ribbons wrap around my waist as we snuggle.

"_I missed this. Its nice with everyone else and I know I said no more little girl...but I don't think its bad to be like this sometimes?" _The hope in her voice crushes all sense of self and I simply hug her tighter. She starts purring and snuggling in. For a few minutes we're quiet.

"_I know what we did was right. And I know that you killed people. Bad people. Don't worry mom. I'm never going to stop loving you. Even if you get sad about it sometimes. I'm a bit scattered but I always look to you. So I see." _Ribbons move up to cup my face and pull my gaze down to her bright eyes. _"And I feel. No more blame. You're good and I love you."_

It never enters her mind that her love isn't enough. That it could fail to make me better. Humbled, I nod and let myself fully let go of my decisions made in ignorance of consequences. I'll respect that I may play a part but under Sunny's endless love I set myself on the path to heal. I sleep well that night.

Wattson and Tru go out the next day. Her aura is screaming equal parts excitement, bashfulness and nervousness. Wattson is simply confident with a twinge of concern but its more about if Tru will enjoy it than anything. He's stepping into a relationship with someone who can feel his every emotion. Brave mon.

I spend the day making notes, relaxing and heading to a nearby spa with the rest of the girls. Its a giant one, obviously, and has a deal with the hotel we're at. Zaela delights in keeping just her fin above water and scaring the shit out of people. I sigh, assure them that she's just playful and get her away before the fog reveals just how massive she is. We're kicked out pretty quickly.

When Wattson and Tru return its with deep satisfaction to me that Tru is the happiest I remember her being. She has conviction and a good sense of a job well done as we travel the path. But this? This is elation and hope for herself. Something selfish she is okay with. Wattson is simply pleased and his gaze softens around her. I don't ask what they did or what happened. This is for them to explore together. They'll tell me in time.

Joker is next and boy is it fun. While wild, Joker, again like Query, is scary observant. Which considering his ability isn't hard to figure out why. As we each take turns having fun together and lazing about he thinks hard about what he enjoys. Even as he protected his little pack it was more about his duty and desire for them to thrive. Nothing stood out as something he enjoyed for himself. At least the first day. Once he saw how Sunny picked something simple he found his desire.

We went on a run. If there is one thing I know stands above anything else I have it is my stamina. I'm not superhuman fast yet or can bench press a car or something but before I was four I was using my aura. Primarily so I could keep up with the starter I got. Training with Momma and healing up my team for years after have made my stamina superhuman. I've run with my team for hours upon hours. Not fast, but steady. Joker just leads me from the hotel after making sure I've got on my jogging clothes.

"_Tag. Fun. Run. Catch."_

And with that he's off. Shifting from pidgey to meowth to a butterfree. Forms blur as he starts off around the edge of town. He doesn't speed up fast enough to leave me in the dirt as he could but he doesn't make it easy.

Aura gives me incredible spatial awareness and I can't help but think what it looked like as I chase my zoroark across the city. Hopping over railings, climbing trees and waiting impatiently to cross streets. Its a joy I can't explain to be so free and feel my stoic, serious new friend laugh in his mind.

I don't notice how long we run, the chase and the experience more than make up for never really defeating him. He lets me get him a few times and chases me but he enjoys showing me how he hides and runs. What he can do for the pack in a way no other in our group can.

Its a great day and he starts to give out a small smile more and more often from that day on.

Aurora's day has me laughing so hard. So fucking hard. I've told a lot of stories about my old world. Some great and some stupid. Some were me complaining about memes. Or silly youtube videos. Shit. Better talk to Mars about youtube.

Aurora has been having Tru go out and buy giant planters or anything she can find that are bowls of size for Zaela level courses. She had my starter dig a bit in the sand in the main room for socializing pokémon as well as create a series of stone tables that stand at the heights of all of my family.

From there she got the pots and pans we normally cook with and again had Tru go and buy a massive amount of food that we can dry and store. Mostly meats, pasta and things she can flash freeze to be heated later. Tru, by the way, has access to my wallet for such things. The one that holds cash and not my pokédex. What came about was four chef's hats for myself, Wattson, Sunny and Aurora. Aurora's had to be specially made and she started Tru on that without telling me the day Query and I went shopping.

It gets better. She loved Query's bowtie and got one for all the other males and a butler's vest for Joker. I'm not sure how she explained it to him, or used his reverence for her but he stood to the side and would carefully, seriously deliver what we made.

And proving I'm infecting my family with the ability to troll this is what happened. Sunny and Wattson were in on it and I was never more grateful for opening my stupid mouth about a show I watched for a while.

"Alright. So we're helping you? Got my apron and ready. So what's going on?"

"_What are you doing?! Get the lamb sauce! Are you an idiot?!"_

"….what."

"_Yes chef! Right away chef!" _Off Sunny goes. She takes a spill, carefully replaces her hat and starts pouring with her ribbons into the indicated planter.

"_You! Pink idiot! Get going! I need all that meat in the firepit now! Do you work for a fucking living or not?!" _Yes. My sweet lovely, mothering Aurora was yelling at me. My face must have been amazing because Mars and Zaela both, who I found out later were playing customers, just started laughing harder than I could ever imagine. It only intensified as Aurora started shooting small icicles at me to get moving. She wouldn't of hurt me but...Yes. We were in Hell's Kitchen. Master Chef. Whatever. Aurora didn't get the lines right as I only really commented a bit on it...But oh my.

"_You're worthless! You call this food?! I could cough up a lung that looked more appetizing!"_

Wattson, strong, giant Wattson managed to look like his dreams were crushed. _"Sorry chef! I'll do better!"_

Sunny was diligently working in the background, tossing hunks of meat up in the air and flailing about with spices as if she knew something. She did not. But Aurora just used different color salts and pepper to make it impossible for her to truly mess it up.

"_You're sorry? I'm sorry! Sorry you were ever born! Where the fuck is my bisque?!" _Read bisque as just heated up chicken soup. Tru refused to buy even anything remotely seafood.

I ran about with them for an hour, hearing the results of me cursing around my team and having the time of my life. Sunny would break down laughing every once and a while as Aurora tried and failed to completely be mean. Wattson didn't break once. He played the idiot fool, hilariously tossing food while slipping around into Zaela's mouth.

The food was meh. But it was my most favorite meal of my life. Mars has never laughed so much. Query doesn't eat traditionally like us but he enjoyed the mental picture. Probably another sculpture someday. Zaela thought it was funny but honestly she just enjoyed people hand feeding her more than anything else.

Joker flawlessly played his role as Aurora directed him with quiet, _"Enjoy. Water? Towel? This made with….famous...Good food." _ lines that Aurora fed to him to say. Tru? Tru didn't know what to make of it and left part way, the mess making her a tad huffy, but she did give Wattson a wink that made him nearly drop the cake they made. And by made I mean they just tore off the wrapping of it and sprayed sprinkles over it.

I can't say it enough. I love my pokémon.

Zaela was last and...Sigh. It was glorious but I face palmed so hard when I realized what she did.

My starter has her silly side. Its just very, very well hidden. She enlisted Mars' help with the promise of not bothering him for a month with her usual want to battle him pretty much anytime she can cajole him into agreeing. Which is often. So I was betrayed by my son without a blink.

Mars drew her some fliers she got that bitch of a receptionist to copy somehow. Probably the most terrifying game of charades ever. I don't even know how she got the woman to come to our level. I haven't found a buzzer. Just a phone. And it wouldn't have survived Zaela trying to use it.

Six days of fliers being posted around town. And I didn't see one while walking around. My luck is weird.

Zaela led me and the rest of the family towards the beach with giggles. Yes. My dragon giggled.

What I found was a massive amount of pokémon gathered around a giant sand castle. Like massive. It had giant towers, turrets, random spires and gates and was packed well with mud and water to make the sand stay. Zaela still towered over it. Nearly a hundred pokémon with some trainers and families scattered in.

Mars picked this time to show me the depths of his betrayal and handed me a flier.

'Come one come all this Saturday at ten AM to Saturn Street Beach. Ella Mita's starter Zaela shall be attacking a custom sand castle! Though she be mighty and deadly, the fierce Mistress of Blackthorn shall be gentle in her destruction against any who seek to save the Castle Sand. Family and pokémon alike are encouraged to bring water guns, balloons and themselves! Steel your heart and gird your loins for the battle of the century!'

There was a to scale drawing of Zaela with a warning (probably Mars) that Zaela is very large and scary but also would never actually harm anyone...And then a chibi version of me giving the viewer a thumb's up.

My mouth was agape at the first sentence and Mars just patted me on the shoulder and went to go sit with the rest of my group of traitors. They had a place set up for them to watch. Zaela leaned down to pat me and let out a godzilla inspired roar that was maybe one tenth her volume and then started slowly walking toward the sand castle she probably made this morning before dawn and paused every few feet to repeat her roar and act silly.

The crowd, who were initially pretty intimidated despite the warning started to ease and many giggles were heard. Someone tossed a water balloon. It hit Zaela and did less than zero damage but she staggered back as if slapped and roared again in fake anger. That broke the spell and glee began.

Over a hundred pokémon, mostly pets, got into the fun and darted around, dramatically trying to climb Zaela to attack her, nothing over a small bite. She carefully tossed them around and became the clunky monsters she grew to love while watching the dvds I gave her.

Kids shot her down with brave faces, adults made sure that they didn't get too close and my starter was covered in teddiursa, sentret, a few growlithe and various other household pokémon. Eventually she smashed a few towers and slipped into the sand to swim about as her final 'form' but forty five minutes or so later with a fourth of the castle left the day was saved.

My starter laid defeated on her back, tongue out the side of her mouth and the crowd cheered.

I was stuck between laughing, crying and a permanent palm mark on my forehead. Eventually she stirred and kept her head out of the earth for people to come say hello but I waved off touching her, noting how dangerous her skin is.

It was amazing and horrifying. It was only later I found out why she wanted this so badly.

"_I am to be feared. I revel in this. But you've always loved being silly with me. Making me laugh. I wanted to see if I could do that too and still feel like me. Those movies gave me the idea….And I couldn't resist trying. Plus it put your name out a bit. Heh. Not sure if in a good way, but maybe people won't be as afraid of me when they need your help now. I saw a lot of people recording it."_

Zaela never ceases to amaze me. Usually its with her unyielding will to be stronger. I forget that she's the other half of my soul here. Of course she'd be fucking weird sometimes. I love her.

Gym

After our vacation we all set back into training with great pleasure. It was good to unwind but it was also time to continue to beat the snot out of anyone in our way. One move was given to as many of my group as possible. Dig. The applications for Joker were amazing. He picked it up quick, followed by Sunny and Wattson. Mars was last because the overachiever figured out Earthquake at the same time. He spent a long while helping Wattson with that afterwards. I may have also bought a TM that Joker took on with such skill that the possibilities had me salivating.

Wattson somewhat has earthquake down somewhat already from his bunny punching attack from his last gym battle. As this is likely to be my last three on three I plan on Joker, Wattson and Zaela for this battle. Aurora and Sunny will have a bit too much weakness to steel types and Tru didn't want to battle this time.

For a reason I really want to tease her about. She's going to be cheering on Wattson. Tru style. Which is to carry a small sign she made that says just 'Go Wattson'...It does have a crudely drawn picture of him though.

Mars will be a pick if nothing big enough interests Zaela but she does really want a good battle. If there are four then Query will be my last choice. But who knows? Anything could happen. I'm ready.

The Gym is vaguely how I remember it. Circular and made of gleaming metal. I'm pretty quickly recognized not as the bad ass rookie with the near Elite team but as the kid who had the funny, but giant as fuck, garchomp. Yep. Thanks Zaela. Maybe that's why she really wants to fight today? So she can show the other half of herself? Whatever.

I'm led to the main battling field after a few hours. There were some challengers ahead of me. Olivine is a port town after all. Lots of trainers. Eventually I'm standing across from the gym leader and I actually know him. Ralph Aiden. Not very scary sounding. He's rather unassuming and just nods slowly to me. Of all the gym leads besides Mom, him and Pryce are the ones I would worry about when thinking of this journey years ago. Today? I've got his number. It'll be difficult, but I'm good.

The older man, perhaps mom's age just nods to the ref. Unlike my last battles he's not chatty. He never has been from what mom said about him.

"This will be a three on three battle between Ella Mita of Blackthorn and Gym Leader Ralph Aiden. Only the challenger may make substitutions."

I watch him carefully and he does me a solid by tossing his ball first. Aegislash appears with a rather regal sounding single note and I smile and toss my premier ball.

Mars springs into the air with a roar and immediately snarls in anger. Words I won't repeat spill from his mouth and Aegislash is infuriated. Shifting into attack mode I watch Ralph's eyebrow raise for a moment and then clear as his ghost-steel partner flies upwards, blade charging with some type of energy I'm not familiar with. Mars vanishes into a dark cloud and Aegislash bravely heads in, confident perhaps in its durable nature but also humming with anger of my charizard's taunt.

Double teams fly outwards as Aegislash screams in pain at contact with the cloud. An ominous wind perhaps? Still the ghost continues forward and savage snarling continues from my charizard in the cloud. A shock wave sparks up and another howl from the usually calm Mars.

More filthy insults abound and Ralph's eyes wide. "Aegislash! Automize! Swords Dance! King's Shield" His pokémon ignores the orders and continues savage shadow claws and night slashes to try and cut my shiny black charizard into little pieces. The ghost finally uses shadow sneak, the cloud of dark energy finally dispersing and catches the real charizard…..Or would have been.

The substitute is revealed. And its not Mars. Joker came out as Mars, bounced into the air and used a Night Daze around himself as he snarled Aegislash or rather hiding the two snarls he manages as Mars' roar. From there he used taunt with the foulest words I could imagine and lured Aegislash into the Night Daze he illusioned to look as close to a smokescreen as he can for now. The moment Aegislash entered he was confused by the dark energy assaulting his senses. Before this happened Joker hid his substitute as the main Mars' double team and flew out as one of the spares. As he passed Aegislash he used torment and taunt once more before snarling in the shadow of his substitue again. All while honing his claws.

King's Shield and the ability to buff like mad are Aegislash's main points of power. The ghost now had suffered three snarls, a night daze, could not draw on it status effects or stat increasing moves and was hitting a substitute. My fully buffed zoroark used u-turn as he was falling and slammed his claws in two night slashes that clanged the usually defensive ghost into the side of the steel building. I have great respect for Aegislash. I had heavily considered picking one as my Fate partners.

Still, I return Joker with a grin as Aegislash is recalled. Ralph just looks like he ate a lemon. It was easily the worst steel type he could have sent out for me. A great choice if he did his homework about my team which I think is quite likely. The man saw my fight against Lance way back when.

"Well." Man of small words. Hmph. An aggron falls to the floor with a clang and I heavily consider my next move. Shrugging, I release Tru to the sidelines, her sign already ready. Ralph has to worry about my zoroark for the rest of the fight. I can have Joker imitate Mars or actually bring out Mars or for all he knows any of my choices can be a fake.

This is why I believe Joker will become my deadliest fighter. Not strongest. Deadliest. It fits his personality to go fast and with intent to take someone down instantly.

But I won't do that to Tru. Wattson comes out onto the field and just starts pumping his arms in a flex while laughing already.

"_Alright guy! Let's have a nice fight! Don't go easy on me. My gal over there wouldn't like it if I won without effort. Or lost without effort! She's cool like that."_ The Aggron gives my jolly guy a what the flying fuck expression and starts ahead, automize and iron defense at once. Discharge waves smash against him as he pays for not using a ranged move for cover but the steel behemoth shrugs them off fairly easily.

Usually Wattson brawls happily but immediately speeds away, stamping his foot on the ground in an Earthquake that Zaela would laugh at but it does what he wants. Aggron has to slow and Wattson's eyes close briefly, meditating. Before we met it was a poor move in his pool but as he boosts at remarkable rate a flash of insight hits me. Perhaps this is how he and Tru got close? Did she coach him?

Aggron shifts plans and an ice beam slaps my electivire up the side of his head as he finishes a few more boosts. Another laugh and he pulses out static that races across the whole arena. My team excels in terrain control. Of course we spent time getting him Electric Terrain. Using residual energy around him he tosses out thunder waves in controlled bursts that force Aggron to dodge.

Flash cannons are deflected by thunder punches that start to toss the steel energy in odd ways. Wattson is still hurt a bit but he just chuckles and starts to attack in earnest. Thunderbolts snap into creation in an instant. Aggron raises himself with stone edges to dodge some what but glancing hits still land.

Water pulses, icy winds and flamethrowers all try to wear Wattson down. Aggron does well attempting it but is built for close range more than long. Its a worse disparity than Wattson's similar build.

Finally the steel giant lets out a screech and is speeding towards my thunderbug in a head smash tinged with steel sheen. Smart strike perhaps? Wattson just laughs and uses his boosted attack to slam another earthquake. It would have been utterly devastating if it hit. Magnet Rise bites us in the ass and Wattson is slammed into the wall by the savage attack. Curses and grunts sound out of the dust and my electivire is tossed from the rubble, rolling and sliding to a halt in the middle of the field. He's pretty brutalized but just chuckles despite the pain and stands weakly on one leg.

Another smart strike, automized rock head is heading his way and I am ready to return him. Instead I shake my head as he turns and gives Tru the biggest smirk and a playful kiss...And takes the hit even as he uses low kick. Normally this would do shit damage with how much Aggron automizes. And it does. But my heavily damaged electivire pulses the electric terrain and makes Aggron's steel body not like the ground anymore. The startled shock that pulses out of Aggron's aura makes Tru giggle. Giggle.

Now airborne right above Wattson, my jolly guy snaps a massive thunder that sends the behemoth right back down towards the Focus Punch that this fucking idiot I adore seems hell bent on using to end every fight with. Damned if it doesn't work again. The impact is savage and cracks the already destroyed floor further until it looks like a rock field in the anime. Everything clears and they are both out.

"_FUCK YEAH! That's my man! That's fucking right you mothe-...I mean. Good job Wattson. Even if you can't hear me."_

There are no words as I recall my friend. I'm not sure if I'm going to tell him what Tru just said.

Ralph doesn't know what to make of what she just said. And she did say it out loud and with her ability to be understood. Which I don't think she realizes.

"Hmph." Really. What the hell dude? Nothing?

The last pokémon he releases is a Mawlie...And it glows in the bright light I know means mega evolution. I stare as its second jaw becomes truly impressive. And damned if I don't find it cute. I think Zaela is cute. Shut up. I like brutal things. I could bring out Mars. He'd probably wreck her from afar. Very easily.

But isn't this what Zaela wanted?

She's taken hits from Sunny but Sunny can't be at this Mawile's level.

"The challenger has ten seconds to choose or forfeit"

What would she truly want?

"Seven."

Of course I know. Before the ref hits five I release my monster of a sister. Zaela's customary roar knocks the ref off his feet and Ralph's eyebrows shoot up. Both of them. Progress.

My starter huffs in consideration and shows off a new trick. The earth under Mega Mawile shifts into quicksand and she sends off a flamethrower at the same time to cook the steel cutie. The flamethrower doesn't do as much damage as expected as the sheen of stockpile is reflected as she repeats Aggron's trick of using Stone Edge to raise herself up.

A fairy wind sprays down the entire arena and doesn't fade as Mega Mawlie sets off a Misty Terrain in an instant. Zaela roars in pain as it disrupts her control over draconic energy. Which she has a lot of. It hits her harder than tanking one of Sunny's moonblasts and she dives under ground. Mega Mawile leaps from her stone peak before it sinks into the earth.

Mega Mawile sends her tiny fist into the ground and uses rock smash to drive Zaela out, or would if my starter hadn't have started setting the entire floor into sand. Instead of a cracking of ground Mega Mawile sinks her fist into the earth with a cry of surprise. Zaela goes back to our first combo. The ground simply falls and Furnace Starts. Mega Mawile starts to play rough and every ice fang she uses is tinged with fairy energy as she turns sharply in every direction to snag my sister.

Its probably the most devastating attack Zaela would ever take since Aurora's first hyper beam against her. If it hit. My starter is proud and strong. She loves showing off her strength but she's not found someone worthy yet of truly going all out. Even spars with Mars and Zaela haven't had the life or death aspect that a dragon truly seeks. But above her strength is her intelligence and willingness to give compared to other dragons.

The gible who hated listening to me when she thought she was right has come a long way. Every Ice Fang hits a double team that come out of the earth like the monsters from tremors on crack. The distraction lets my starter dip her snout out to activate Sunny Day. Ralph finally speaks.

"Get out! Now!"

Zaela may love dragon attacks and fire but her true strength is the earth. I've known that since the first day she dipped into the earth like it was liquid. Every stone edge is denied by her sand. Every attempt to climb causes the ground to slip away from Mega Mawile's hands. The surprise icy wind is immediately overtaken by a sandstorm as she drags Mega Mawile underground. Ralph looks on in frustration as he goes over ideas left and right. Even an Ice Beam to attempt top shore up her slowly closing hole fails as fire explodes from the wall.

Mega Mawile immediately attempts to dig her fake jaws in and catch my starter but like the horror movies I so readily associate with my stater there is no escape. The earth closes over Mega Mawile and turns solid. Seconds pass and the ground thoombs hard with an explosion of some variety and the now normal, burned, partially crushed form of his partner is tossed onto the arena. The recall ping is overshadowed by my starter emerging from the ground with a slight grimace before making us all wince with the booming sound of her victory.

I can't help but notice Tru recalling herself before the sound. At least she could have suffered with me.

"...I don't like you. Your badge is at the front. Get out." I read his aura a bit and he's just cranky. He doesn't actually dislike me but for him the defeat stings. Mom told me later that Joker fucked up his whole plan when he called to complain about me. That his Aegislash would boost to insane levels and King's Defense itself against my heavy hitters. Mawlie was to be second and stockpile and boost itself as well. And then when I brought out my starter baton pass to his Aggron who would then go to Mega Aggron and tank my starter's physical attacks and use its surprisingly diverse ice attacks against Zaela. Even if Mega Aggron fell Zaela would have to face Mawile at near full health.

One Mega Evolution per fight. With my heavy hitters not fucked by Aegislash he had to match them with Aggron. Mars would defeat his Mawile easily. So yeah. He was pissed. He could have brought out others of his team but none stood a chance against Zaela . Even his skarmory would not match my starter in the air.

Zaela got her tough match until she went back to basics. Terrain terrain terrain.

This is what we needed after the Rocket Base. To have some fighting that wasn't so serious. We'd spend years in the future in the muck and the toil. Today was a step forward in planning. Depending on the massive strength of my team is great but we always focused on not being fair to the enemy.

I couldn't wait to talk to Joker about his first true fight with me. To see how he enjoyed it. He did. It was blaring in his aura. Perhaps that it wasn't life or death made it fun. Wattson and Zaela too. So much to consider.

Chuck was next.

Tings of bright emotions and a picture of myself walking from the Rocket Base slipped past my mental shields as I neared the hotel. Deep affection that sound like silver bells flash into my head as I turn in shock, again snuck up upon by a pokémon. A series of views of my family being affectionate and an outside perspective of envy. The acceptance of Joker and flashes of desire to follow the feeling of my heart. Not a single word. Just emotion and empathy. All blaring about my head in droves until a feeling of apology for her eagerness.

Number nine is before me. The setting sun halos around her as she steps forward. Her mental pulse showing more images of following our group. Of tasting our emotions and longing to join our joy and companionship. Beautiful and lovely she is. Ethereal and standing just above my height I stare at the Gardevoir. Her delicate green and white body marred by a horrible scar across her throat.

Like her, I can't speak.

* * *

Bruno, Liza and the Boss

When Bruno decided upon this path he did so fully. There was no reason not to. A lucario pleading with you for help is not something to be ignored. While he did not have one, he had studied under one for a year once. It was a good experience and while he has no talent with the ability to project aura he excelled at focusing it inwards.

Rather than take routes Bruno stepped into the woods and went straight. The road less traveled. No road actually. The Valley came eventually and he took his time to carve out a home. He was very literal when he told Ella Mita he would do so.

Onix, Machamp and Hitmolee helped but only with physical movement. Moves were to be trained later. Charizard challenged him from the moment he entered. All fell.

This pleased Bruno quite a bit. There was no resentment at their loss. Only a burning will to get stronger. It was more primal and less pure than he was used to but he could see the appeal. Bruno would consider catching one for many days after.

A promise was a promise though. About a month after arriving he finally went to the peak to introduce himself. Surprise await him as a riolu stood along the path as if to greet him.

"_Master Bruno! I am the valiant partner of Mistress Liza! Sworn to protect her until I die or the world does! Whichever comes first! I greet you! Your aura sings with glorious battle. While I cannot shirk my duties yet, as it is 'quiet time please go outside and kick rocks', I shall happily face you when I am no longer in exile"_ Towards the end of his speaking the riolu's confident manner fades and lowers into sulking. Bruno does not know how to take this.

"Hn. Take me to your trainer, even if she exiled you."

The riolu just blinks in confusion and shakes his head. _"It was not my Mistress who did so. Fair and strong may she be, I was put to exile by the 'Boss'"_ Was it his imagination or was there thunder in a clear sky?

Shaking off the odd disquiet he just nods the riolu on who perks up at the idea that perhaps delivering a new minion to the boss could get him out of his plight.

Minutes later bring them to a building being constructed by men and women Bruno can tell from a glance have seen combat. Seven charizard line up and aid the seven men and women, obviously partners. Two girls direct the flow of effort. One has a lithe looking charmeleon next to her. Both are covered in dirt from aiding the efforts and the riolu leads Bruno to them.

"_Mistress! Boss! I have brought Master Bruno. Please Boss. I shall endeavor to be worthy of your notice and no longer shall I-"_

Bruno blinks as the taller of the girls turn around. Pink hair tells him this is a Joy, if young, as the green haired girl with the charmeleon leans down to rub the riolu's ears and talk silently with them.

"Do you know how long I've been waiting for you?"

Bruno blinks a bit at that. "Do I-"

"Did you promise Ella Mita you'd come and train Liza here?" A finger is in his face as the Joy glares up at him.

"Yes."

"She asked me to be here to set up a Center after she met you. Its behind me. How did you get here after me?" Bruno does not quite appreciate the tone but it is a valid question.

"I walked straight to-"

"You walked straight. Not through the helpfully quick routes. You walked _straight_." There is anger now.

"Yes."

What seems like a minute has passed and Bruno can't help but notice that who is likely Liza has retreated with her partners. No. Instead they are directing more of the construction. Amazingly, even to Bruno, the charizard perk up and listen to her without fail. Perhaps she is worthy of training.

Bruno makes the mistake of missing what the Joy says.

"So now you aren't listening to me. Fine! You get to do the _fun_ work. Do you have strong pokémon?" Her tone is sharp. It reminds him of his mother when he did something particularly stupid. Youth. Hn.

"Strong is a relativ-"

"Do. You. Have. Strong. Pokémon?" Bruno wonders if his teeth are going to rot from the sweetness in the tone. It is not pleasant.

"...yes."

"Well then! Splendid. Since you and your team waited so long to arrive I've had to whip everyone into shape myself. As the bottom of the rung you get to drag our materials from the base of the Valley all the way up. Like we've been doing. For days. Without you. Our physical trainer. Don't worry. Even if its covered in rock and can't take a cart you get to walk _straight_ up and down."

Perhaps he should have gone the road often traveled this time. The Joy turns from him with a parting shot. "And get some fucking shoes on! There are nails everywhere! Idiot."

"_See! Now I can return. The Boss has someone else to take her anger out on….Please Mistress. Lets go back to training with the charizard. It was far more painful but infinitely less frightening."_

"….."

* * *

**I know I said I'd show Liza and her team a bit more but this just couldn't get out of my head. Rose rules with an iron fist! What? Did you expect something else?**

**This was a blast to write, even if I was a bit mean at the last bit of the chapter. Angel arrives! And just as Ella has gotten over a lot of her guilt well...Suppose we'll see next chapter what happens. **

**Oh and I guess a gym fight that showed off how mean and dirty Joker can be to his enemies. And some vacation or something.**

**Onto the team!**

**_**1- Zaela the King Garchomp (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Adamant**__

**_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, Double Team, Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, Rain Dance, Mud-Slap, Dual Chop, Slash, Dragon Claw, **_**__**Draco Meteor, Dragon Rush, Earthquake, **__**_**Stone Edge, **_**__**Crunch, **__**_**Fire Blast, Aerial Ace, Hyper Be**_**__**am**__

**_**Combination Moves: Furnace (Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit)**_**

**_**Pain Whirl (Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and Rock Slide with a helping of Mud-Slap. Confuse them in a tornado made of giant pain rocks)**_**

**_**Grinder- Earthquake and Earth Power to simultaneously disrupt movement and provide a sharp incline to speed up Dragon Rush and manually activate Stealth Rocks. Rock Slide to subtly hammer Stealth Rocks towards vital points. Very tiring.**_**

**_**Ella's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_**

**_**2- Query the Shiny Metagross**_**__** (Identifies Male)**__

__**Ability: Clear Body**__

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

**_**Moves: Iron Head, Iron Defense, Take Down, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Psych Up, Gravity, Ally Switch, Miracle Eye , Scary Face, Brick Break, Meteor Mash, Agility, Magnet Rise, Return, Reflect, Double Team, Light Screen, **_**__**Rock Smash, Hammer Arm. Pursuit, **__**_**Hammer Arm, **_**__**Toxic, Shadow Ball, Hyper **__**_**Beam, Focus Blast, **_****_**Flash**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Psi-Fist - A method of psychic manipulation of an opponents gravity and self to make critical hits happen. A variety of punches/strikes with heavy but small piercing-like psychic stabs to balance points.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Two- Constant mind/emotion reading to adapt to attack patterns and psychological weaknesses. Low level confusion waves to occlude and disrupt senses and to influence terror or caution depending on level of threat as well as psychological profile. Can currently use two dedicated brains for state two. Three deemed too detrimental to combat ability.**_**

**_**3- Truthseeker(Tru) the Lucario (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Inner Focus, **_**__**Justified (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Serious**__

**_**Moves: Foresight, Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Detect, Cross Chop, Bite, Mind Reader, High Jump Kick, Agility, Vacuum Wave, Crunch, Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash, Copycat, Rock Smash, Force Palm, **_**__**Aura Sphere, Heal Pulse, **____**Protect, **____**Power-Up Punch, Me First, Calm Mind, **____**Extremespeed, Toxic, Focus Blast, Shadow Bal**__**_**l, **_**__**Thunderpunc**__**_**h**_****_**, Close Combat**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Heal Sphere- Aura Sphere made with heal pulse energy. Very aura intensive but serves as a long range critical heal.**_**

__**EMT- Bullet Punch, **____**Extremespeed or**____**M**____**e First(Depends on move) to target who is attacking ally. Counter if needed while second hand is using Heal Pulse. High Jump Kick away if Quick Attack is not fast enough. Looking into Substitute, Extremespeed and Quick Guard for increased effectiveness.**__

__**Reader: Calm Mind, Mind Reader, Detect to stay in someone's guard. Protect to be **____**used**____** later when unable to dodge.**__

__**Regen: Developed by Joy's lucario. Bounces small Heal Pulses onto a Protect screen to cause small amounts of healing over time. Somewhat draining even when perfected. Calm Mind increases efficiency.**__

**_**4- Sunshine(Sunny) the Sylveon (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Cute Charm, **__**_**Pixilate (Hidden)**_**

__**Nature: Quirky**__

__**Moves: Fake Tears, Tickle, Wish, Yawn, Stored Power, Tackle, Helping Hand, Baby-Doll Eyes, Fairy Wind, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Swifty, Moonblast, Refresh, Draining Kiss, Light Screen, Misty Terrain, Skill Swap, Reflect, Safeguard, Round, **____**Shadow Ball, To**__**_**xic, **_****_**Dig**_**

__**Special Moves: Talk no jutsu. Seriously. Okay not seriously. Just couldn't resist the joke.**__

**_**5- Mars the Shiny Charizard**_**__** (Male)**__

**_**Ability: Blaze**_**

**_**Nature: Lonely**_**

__**Moves: **__**_**Ancient Power, Flare Blitz, Scratch, Ember, Dragon Dance, Air Cutter, Crunch, Bite, Beat Up, Dragon Rush, Dragon Pulse, Slash, Fire Fang, Dragon Rage, Flame Burst, Flamethrower, Metal Claw, Smokescreen, Wing Attack, **_****_**Fire Blast, Thunderpunch, Hyper Beam, Toxic, Focus Blas**_**__**t, **____**Dragon Tail, Dragon Breath, **____**Shadow Claw. Will o' Wisp, Ominous Wind, Fire Spin, **____**Dig, Earthquake**__

**_**Combination Moves(Self Taught): Dragon Blitz-High speed directed attack. A fully boosted by Dragon Dance Flare Blitz combined with a Dragon Rush that can be changed mid attack by using an enforced claw with Slash and Metal Claw to dig into nearby surfaces to a new direction. **_**__**Wing Attack and Air Cutter to achieve similar effects in air. Steel Wing desired. Double Team to be added for confusion once completely mastered. Possible Beat Up Clones when team exceeds six members.**__

**_**Smoke Boost- Dragon Dance while setting up favorable terrain with Ancient Power and hoping for more buffs while covered in a Smokescreen. Double Team and Beat Up to be added later.**_**

__**Firewall- Flame Bursts tossed up high and fed with a directional Air Cutter. Flamethrower added immediately after Flame Burst. Able to use without Blaze but cannot sustain it while moving without ability activation. Ancient Power to be added in slowly. Rock Slide an alternative if learnt.**__

**_**6- Aurora the **_****_**Aurorus**_**__**(Female)**__

**_**Abilities: Refrigerate, Snow Warning (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Modest**_**

**_**Moves: Powder Snow, Thunder Wave, Haze, Barrier, Mirror Coat, Sandstorm, Hail, Magnet Rise, Discharge, Rock Throw, Mist, Icy Wind, Ice Beam, Round, Ancient Power, Aurora Beam, Avalanche, **_****_**Thunderbolt, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Safe**_****_**guard, Freeze Dry, Light Screen. Encore, Nature Power, Blizzard**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Storm Defense: Ability activation, Sandstorm and Barrier. Omni-Directional Discharge if any non-ground types enter the field.**_**

__**7- **____**Wattson(Thunderbug) the Ele**____**c**____**tivire**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Motor Drive**__

__**Nature: Jolly**__

__**Moves: **____**Thunder Shock, Cross Chop, Thunderbolt, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Focus Punch, Low Kick, Rolling Kick, Meditate, Dynamic Punch, Light Screen, Barrier, Thunderpunch, Discharge, Thunder, Shock Wave**____**, Focus Blast, Toxic, **____**Thunder Wave, **____**Dig, **____**Earthquake, **____**Electric Terrain**__

__**8- Joker**____** the Zoroark**____**(Male)**__

**_**Ability: Illusion**_**

**_**Nature: Serious (as fuck)**_**

**_Moves: _****_Fake Tears, Fury Swipes. Night Slash, Night Daze, Detect, U-Turn, Imprison, Pursuit, Hone Claws, Flamethrower, Scary Face, Feint Attack, Taunt, Foul Play, Torment, Double Team, Embargo, Punishment, Dark Pulse, Copycat, Sucker Punch, Shadow Ball, Bounce, Grass Knot, Psych Up, _****_Shadow Claw, Snarl, _****_Dig_**

**_**9- Angel**_**__** the ? (Female)**__

__**Dedicated healer and transportation specialist. No jokes here. She's the best.**__

__**10- Ghost Tass the ? (Male)**__

__**Not much known. Other than he's got stereotypical ghost ideas. In other words, can be an ass. Also possibly dangerous. But seriously. Ghost. Big duh. But actually isn't all bad! Gotcha! Uses suffering to heal in some way, somehow.**__

__**11- Water Maiden the ? (Female)**__

__**Tank of some variety. Prideful as fuck.**__

**_**12- Legend the ? (Female)**_**

_****Literally a legendary. Seriously. Its happening. Ella's ultimate goal for proof of her path to the world. Loses to Zaela a lot supposedly. For now. Possibly psychic or some mental ability.****_


	13. Ch 13- Adept and Angel

**I'm so not sorry about last chapter's cliffhanger! Of course I probably didn't get hate messages about the tease because of previous upload speed. Hmm. Welp! Some interesting things happening this chapter. A peek of Ella's destiny. And Chuck. Everything is moving fast paced because of so much work she has to do. The Lake of Rage is near her next destination after Cianwood. And old friends will be there too!**

**Also one of my favorite mons shows up in this chapter after the gym. I'm excited to write it.**

**Reviews! **

**frankieu- I hadn't considered a monster town! Oh crap. Okay yes. I'll try to remember to put a reference later in the story but I think that maybe Zaela has started an annual tradition. Maybe. Crap. Ideas. Thank you for the review. And slight shaking of my fist for making me think of a new side story idea.**

**Crembo- Glad you're all caught up! I'm not particularly computer savvy in regards to how the internet/google works. I ,heh, googled about the issue and was hopelessly confused. So I rightly decided Mars was smart than me and let the rest pass on by with anime logic. Cute skitty videos will slowly take over the pokéworld. Muahahaha. Ahem. Thanks for the response. Nice to see you back! Sorry not sorry for my upload speed.**

**Enormtpucko- Zaela's godzilla impersonation has been a plan from the moment I thought her up. Tyrannitar are more appropriate I know but she's scary enough to pull it off I think! Was a ton of fun writing it. Still can't stop wanting to write. The chapter after the time skip is what I'm dreaming ahead to atm. The beginning of that arc has been in my heads for months. Probably what made me start actually writing instead of imagining alone. Thank you immensely for your review.**

**Alakrux- Yeah the chapter was so fun to write. I had trouble starting it until Query took over my head to give out gifts and it just flew on from there. The gym battles are starting to become easier to think of even if they still give me a head ache of looking up moves/abilities/all of it. Chuck will be a bit easier. Fighting pokémon are more straightforward. Tru is growing! She's a very muted character but has depth we haven't fully seen. Her as a mom someday is going to be a blast to write. Angel is going to be hard to write but I committed early on to have her only be able to speak mentally with emotions/images. For now. Read down below for more on her story. And thanks yet again for making me blush. Appreciate your continued support.**

**Blaze212- That's a good name for a gardevoir for sure! Glad you liked the silly Bruno perspective. He's so serious I just had to give him a scolding. Zaezilla may strike again in the future. Much warm feelings for all your many reviews.**

**zunhanwc3- I had a lot of fun figuring out what everyone would do. I wanted Joker to show how he can destroy strategy and yeah he did! I think the whole chef thing stemmed from the idea of just Aurora yelling at Wattson for dropping something in my imagination and then went the light bulb. Yep! Don't fuck with the healer! Big advice! Look at Angel's fight this chapter for more proof! Yeah I write fast but like, there is a huge chunk of copy paste at the bottom for the team's moves and stuff. So that's a bit of the writing done. It gets bigger each member too! As to Angel I hope you like her. She's the best. And you keep guessing right! It'll go into depth about her Telepathy down there. Thank you a ton for reading!**

**Sleepy Wooly- I can only say that finally writing this has done wonders for my mind. I'm happier and more motivated. So if you are passionate about it? Do it. Even if just for yourself. Thanks for enjoying Ella's tale.**

**Onto the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything of pokémon. Just my ocs!**

* * *

Adept

Angel is remarkably patient. I call her that instantly in my head. Nothing else fits her and she sends me a picture of her hiding behind her hands and bashfulness at the name. As well as glee that she accepts it. She also sends understanding at the image of her scar and knows that the heavy guilt and shock I'm experiencing at it aren't a slight to her. The level of reading she has blows me away.

The emotions that she pushes towards me are filled with nuance and complexity but have no real words. Just concepts. Worry tinged with a hint of caution flows outwards as she shows me her hugging me to make me feel better and then once she feels my heart break she's there. Tightly her arms flow about me and she pulses warm, accepting emotions. She doesn't quite understand why I'm feeling the way I do but she makes it clear she doesn't care.

More images of my team and the way I treat them flow over me. Sunny in the park. Being annoyed but also loving the massive dragon playing in the sand. Watching Query and I walk back with a giant floating pile of presents to seeing me run with joy on my face after Joker.

Tru and Wattson holding hands and watching a sunset. Tears spring from my eye as she lets me see her considering me and then a memory of firm resolve to offer herself to my team. Of such pure hope to belong to my family that despite the heavy fear of rejection, she pushes forward.

I just raise one of my four remaining premier balls and she ignores it to keep holding onto me. Demanding I wait till I feel better. There is an image of her jumping up and down, cheering, at my acceptance and of her feeling silly. A close up of my eyepatch then back to her scar shows she should have known I wouldn't have cared about her injury.

Its too much. It would be. But her presence in my head is such a pure note of soothing emotion that I just shudder and relax. We both know that I'm not okay but I've calmed enough to not panic as I did with Wattson. Images of my team with a curious note pop up next and the want to meet them.

"Can you understand me talking?" An image of her rolling her eyes.

"Right. Sorry. Just...A lot. I'm Ella Mita. You sure you want to be a part of this crazy? We're going into danger in the future. A lot." Another rolling of her eyes, this time her physically and an image of my group coming out of the wreck that we made of the Rocket Base. She's been following us for a while. Determination floods her mental tone and images of her healing wild pokémon for years pop up rapid fire with a promise in it to do so for my team. And a few pictures of her stomping pokémon who she tinges with annoyed resignation. She didn't want to fight, but she did to protect herself.

From the images, I'd say she did it very well.

"Okay. Well. I have to get some of them to a Pokémon Center to get them patched up. Just fought a gym." Recognition there. A few more images of her hovering outside of civilization and plucking understanding from trainers walking by while hiding her presence with her abilities. To learn of the human world to be useful in it someday and from sheer fascination. Subtly confusing senses of people who might want to catch her until she found those who would fill her longing for companionship.

And then more gentle scolding of me to stop feeling silly guilt. Not to ignore it, but to understand it and let it pass.

"You're amazing." Smug affirmation. "If you'd like to join us I make the same promise I made all of my family. I'll love you for the rest of my days. Welcome." This picture of her dancing around in a circle and I find out what 'squee' feels like as an emotion. Angel, as she already sees herself, presses her hand to the premier ball and gets sucked in. Happy as can be.

Tru and Query emerge as I walk along. My pokémon know what has happened and just give me company. Tru still holds the sign she made for Wattson and carefully puts it in my pack as we head to the Center. I hand off Joker, Wattson, Zaela and now Angel to Nurse Joy after whispering what was going to happen to Angel's new ball. I always make sure new catches get checked out first thing. Even through the pokéball an echo of concern for me hits me. Also eager curiosity to meet one of the human healers that every pokémon knows to trust. Not even Query can talk to me through a pokéball. How strong is her telepathy?

A thought almost crushes me. Time to give her stats and again despair at my thought process.

_Angel the Gardevoir (Female)_

_Nature: Modest_

_Ablities: Telepathy, Synchronize and Trace_

_Moves: Teleport, Ally Switch, Trick Room, Dazzling Gleam, Healing Wish, Wish, Heal Pulse, Misty Terrain, Psychic, Confusion, Moonblast, Icy Wind, Mimic, Calm Mind, Captivate, Stored Power, Nightmare, Hypnosis, Dream Eater, Future Sight, Heal Bell, Echoed Voice, Hyper Voice, Hyper Beam, Shadow Sneak, Disable, Confuse Ray, Encore, Imprison, Skill Swap, Destiny Bond, Light Screen, Reflect, Protect_

The thing is. I found out all her moves later when we got to the hotel and I let her free. I only listed perhaps a third of what she knows when I assigned her as number nine. Mostly healing and teleport options. Angel would go on to show herself meditating near a small lake and concentrating on the future. A need for her to become strong to stand next to her promised companions leads to a montage of seeking out stronger of her kind to train for years.

Her mental abilities are very, very strong from the images she shows me and I close my eyes against the pain. She doesn't shy away from showing the human when she was a ralts that slashed her. His mind was cruel and he was taken by police officers away as she was treated by a Joy in a town I recognize as Cherrygrove. Another blush shows she's been following since we passed through there. That her precognition heavily focused her on us. Another series of images of her teleporting a lot and being frustrated with how often we flew places. Of sneaking aboard the ship to Alto Mare and hiding in the cargo hold.

At amazement of seeing the Secret Garden as we met legends. More and more goes by but I have trouble thinking about it. I wanted Telepathy as her ability far more than her others. To help with team fights and have her be a monster at keeping the team healthy. She dedicated her life to the dream of myself and my family. Years upon years of just as brutal effort as I went through. Just for her dream.

Tru and Query left me alone to release Angel. I'm glad as I start sobbing. Angel just gets a bit of a huff and hugs me again then shows how her life was well worth it. The pokémon she defended from humans they wanted no part of to subtly guiding the ones who wanted trainers to those she found matched their personalities. Countless instances of her drive helping others with pleased satisfaction and a burning determination to find the future her abilities promised would be a life she'd adore.

Finally she just taps her foot and suggests in an emotion I can only feel as impatience that I accept that she's amazing and be joyful that she is here. From the way her eyes gleam and the way she shares it, this is the day she's worked her life towards. And that I shouldn't ruin it. Its an excuse she gives me happily. Again she shows just how amazing her empathetic abilities are but caressing my mind with the knowledge that I'll be better eventually. But that now is the time to be overjoyed at a destiny fulfilled. For her, everything she may or may not have suffered through was an easy price to pay for the realization of her dream.

I'm humbled beyond words.

"Thank you Angel." Pleased feelings and more impatience. She wants to meet the team she's been kind of stalking. Slight embarrassment there.

I laugh despite myself. Its not overly funny but I needed a bit of humor.

To reward her I release Sunny first and that 'squee' feeling floods my mind as my bright girl spots the new pokémon in my room and gasps.

"_You're _beautiful_! Who are you?! Are you a friend?! New family?! What's going on?!" _She's already running in circles around Angel who starts to dance in joy and reach out to take Sunny's ribbons. Of course my bright girl grabs them. _"Oh. My. You...are...perfect! MOM! WE'RE KEEPING HER AND-oh is that her premier ball? Good. My name is Sunshine Mita! That's my mom! Oh hey. You have pictures of me in your head? Wow I look nice when you feel that way about me...Oh...You love us already?I...I"_

Sunny is crying in joy and just keeps pushing her face into Angel's gown-like waist. Angel lets out more mental squee's and I can't stop smiling even after the crappy emotions from before. Its so hard to stand up to the way her emotions reach me.

Tru comes next and for the second time ever bows utterly deeply to someone. Bruno got one. If anything Angel's is more pronounced. Then she shocks me. I shouldn't have been. Her aura reading is much stronger than mine.

"_I am glad you finally decided to join us. You can help my Mistress in ways none of us have been overly successful at. I can feel her negative emotions lightening just by being around you. My deepest thanks and welcome."_ Tru just ignores my look and moves to sit down near the two fairies and closes her eyes to meditate. Wattson pops out a moment later, impatient.

"_Don't know why you don't let us all come out? Anyway. Like, my gal said-," _Hah! I can feel your blush Tru. Revenge shall be my teasing of you later! _"everything that I would. Nice to meet you. Welcome to the family. Name's Wattson and my gal is named Tru. Don't piss off Aurora. She makes the food."_

A ping of noise as Aurora comes out next. _"And don't you forget it. Go get the bowls ready. We must celebrate. Welcome dear. This family is odd but worthwhile in ways I can't begin to describe. Its lovely to meet you. What type of berries do you like?"_

Angel's emotion is warm with respect for Aurora, recognizing another kind soul, and she sends out pictures of her favorites and a like of sour things. Aurora plods off to get Wattson started on dinner. Joker, Zaela and Query all simply come out at once, taking Wattson's complaint to heart.

Joker just nods once. _"Met kind ones before. Respect. Welcome. Thanks for future. Have sash. Gift. Buy another later."_ Yeah. He gives Angel his purple sash as welcome to Angel. The one he hasn't taken off since we got him it. Its something he's intensely attached to as likely the first gift he's ever been given.

And he lets Angel have it without hesitating. Damnit. Warm feelings.

Zaela stares at another fairy. Another one of our party who can possibly beat her into the ground and she grins hard. _"Well. Pretty girl. I hope you are ready to fight me. A lot. Gotta see if you're worthy to stand among us. Sister here may say you are good. But I say if you are ready….I guess you're nice though."_ Her voice trails off at the steady, serious pulse of firm stubbornness that Angel shows her. That she isn't a burden and will fight for all of themselves

"_Alright fine. Ruin my fun. You'll do. Geeze. Overachievers."_

"_Ignore her. I am Query. She is Zaela and the wild one is Joker. Thank you for viewing us as worthy. It is a pleasure to meet someone so filled with emotion. I have many questions. Perhaps later tonight we might talk and share images?"_

Query communicates much like Angel does at times, if not as potently. Makes sense he'd adore getting to pick her brain. Every new emotion fascinates him more then the last. Angel overflows with emotion. I sense many nights of reminding him to let her sleep.

Finally Mars is next and he just watches Sunny continue to rub her way around Angel's legs. There are a few moments of consideration that Angel breaks with the pulse of a worried question in the air.

"_Forgive me. As Sunny said, you are beautiful. I am used to logic and instincts. All of this emotion at once was a bit much but not unwelcome. Thank you for coming into our lives. I can already see how you will change us. The implications were too much for me and I could not speak. I will go help Aurora and Wattson."_

Watching my son walk away I tilt my head, considering. Odd statement there. But then again Query doesn't often share his emotions in Angel's manner with anyone but me. Maybe Angel giving it out so freely to everyone got Mars to thinking of things he hadn't before? I'll talk to him later about it.

Angel comes to my side and gives me another blinding hug as Sunny runs about in pure joy, not able to speak but just reveling in the emotions of someone who shares her attitude to a greater extent than the rest of us. I ignore the disquiet of my heart and shoo my two fairies off to play. I can feel it in Angel's emotions. She wants to bond with everyone but felt like I needed her attention.

"I've got to talk to Joker anyway. Go have fun. You probably know a lot of us but its different actually being here I'd imagine?" Calm agreement and then she and Sunny dance off to go see Aurora and Wattson start teaching Mars what he needs to do. My zoroark is already at my side, his sharp ears hearing what I said.

"_Speak? Guardian? Curious."_

"We just got done with your first fight. I wanted to know how you felt. What it was like and if you would enjoy more." I know he's eager from his emotions but its best to say things like this out loud.

"_Yes. Fun. Satisfying. Ghosts fun to fight. Teach them how to trick. Trick the trickers. Learned much. Guardian's advice good. Training good. More. Become stronger in one fight. Much stronger. What if more? Want to see." _That cool smile I saw at the end of his fight is back and I'm surprised at how happy I am right now. Thoughts of Angel's scar linger but I can't help but be proud of how Joker has grown so quickly with us. In just a few weeks.

"I'm glad to hear that. We'll be working hard to become even stronger soon. The next gym is a fighting gym so I probably won't use you but I'd enjoy having you by the sideline, seeing how Chuck's pokémon fight. Might give you ideas and illusions of course."

"_Enjoy. But sneaky. Hide as cute one." _He flashes to Sunny's form and cocks his head in it as she so often does then is back to his body. _"Innocent one. Easy to fool others."_

Zaela just chuckles at that, curled up on the floor and about to snooze as she overhears. I don't need to talk to her about her fight. She's very satisfied about her showing and is ready for more.

...I think I'll let Wattson and Tru be alone for a few days before I ask him about his fight. And if he's going to keep trying to focus punch things. If so we need a bit better of a strategy.

The night passes quickly. The next few days too. Angel fits in easier than anyone has before, even Wattson. A lot of it is her already knowing us from afar but its impossible not to love her. Her name is what she is. Empathy flows from her and at no point do any of us not know what she means. Even Zaela, who is the crabbiest of us, can't help but enjoy being around her. Its amazing watching my normally loud and abrasive starter talk quietly to someone each night and just look...Happy.

I don't find out why Mars was so odd until the trip to Cianwood.

Sea

Sunny and Angel love the trip. Angel is constantly using Heal Bell to cure Sunny's sea sickness so my bright girl gets to run around and meet people. The gardevoir following her and basking in her joy amuses me. Not because of them, but because people for once aren't wary of me. Even more than a lucario, gardevoir speak of a good person. That I have both about me? Well. I didn't pick Angel as number nine considering that but I'm excited about how this will help when the Order forms.

Zaela is back to terrorizing idiots of tentacruel. Tru and Wattson are off watching the water and talking together. I'm very, very happy for them. It hasn't changed a thing with the group yet and I don't expect it will. Sadly Aurora is still a bit too big so she and Query are in their balls.

My shiny black charizard is who I want to speak to and he stands next to me, waiting patiently after I asked him to come down from his flying for a minute.

"So. What was that when you first saw Angel? If you don't mind sharing. Just a bit curious." And concerned but I don't say it. He notices that anyway and gives me a smirk.

"_Mother. I don't think anyone tells you how open your face is when you aren't channeling Grandmother. I was fine. Just absorbing new information. Angel's ability is interesting but the part that made me pause is how easily she eased my mind. That I was welcome and accepted. You know I am a loner. I like being so...But that doesn't mean I do not get envious of how easily the others can speak to one another."_

He pauses, watching Sunny and Angel make little explosions of harmless fairy energy for a few children that gather around the feeling of joy that my gardevoir exudes constantly.

"_She knew me instantly. Showed me she adored me for who I was and while there was no pressure, offered to help me relate more to the group. I am grateful. It was just surprising. I wish to fly more"_

And off my son goes, enjoying himself. That's all I ever wanted for him.

As a note before Cianwood. How can Angel use echoed voice or sound based abilities without a voice of her own? Fairy energy is rather pleasant when it is drawn from the moon and stars. Just the feel. Every attack that Angel has is filled with it. To compensate for her lack of voice she's been learning to turn that energy into a sound in the way most attacks explode or hum. Notes of pure fairy energy. Its lovely to listen to and I look forward to figuring out how to abuse the applications.

Cianwood

There's a lot I want to do here. First of which was to visit the Safari Zone...And find out its still about five years out. Yay. Second is the gym as I am pretty focused on getting to the Lake of Rage as soon as possible. Chuck is actually a gym leader I don't think I'm that stressed about. Around this time in the circuit teams would be focused on their third evolutions or getting close to. The likely pokémon I'll use for this are Query, Mars, Wattson (as he loves physical fighting) and Sunny. Sunny will probably go first actually. She's been after a fight for a while to prove to herself that she can do it. Her true strength is in team exercises but that's true of most of us to be honest.

I've not spent enough time with Angel yet so I plan to wait to use her until she feels me pondering strategy. A picture of her looking confused hits my brain and then a feeling of helping if I need it.

"Oh. We've got a gym coming up and I'm not sure who to use. I was planning on Sunny, Query, Wattson and Mars but still thinking."

There's a short pause then she points at herself.

"I didn't want to use you so soon after we met. If you want a go I suppose you can go ahead after Sunny if you like?" Angel pulls her hands behind her back and makes a side to side swaying motion, obviously pleased. Huh. Well. If we go down a few at least Query and Mars can do something about it. Sorry Wattson. You did get to fight last time.

Cianwood isn't that prosperous as it will be once the Safari Zone is but I seriously consider having a home away from home here someday. Its quiet, has a lot of nature around it and the air is so very clean. Going through all the cities after being mostly in nature for pretty much the whole of this life has made me a very spoiled girl to clean air. This world is still much better than my last but still. Bleh.

A few things happen before my gym battle. First, Tru and Wattson go off again to try out surfing when they find out they won't be fighting this battle likely. One good thing about having so many pokémon is that I can safely let a few of them wander off. Joker follows along after a quick look to see if its okay. I had wanted him at the fight but I think he's never seen the sea without running for his life so yeah. He gets to go. I make an important call to cajole someone into coming to the Lake of Rage after that.

Lastly I dial Professor Redwood. It takes a bit but he answers. I thought this up a while ago.

"Oh. You. What do you want? More work for me?" Really, the old man doesn't look upset at it. Just resigned.

"Sort of. You're going to retired in a few years right?" His brow furrows and he looks past the video-phone before shrugging. "Yeah. Likely. Its not that I'm old. Fit as can be to take care of this ranch. Plus there isn't anything new really I want to study that isn't taken by other Professors. Not as if I can't do the same but eh. Just doesn't interest me."

My smile has him wary but I push on. "I'd like you to come to the Charicific Valley when your time is done. I have it on good authority that I will have a legendary there for you to study in time. Plus my team will spend a lot of time there. " Now his eyes widen. Professor Oak told me that Redwood was very, very interested in fossil pokémon when he was younger. I go for the kill.

"Did you know that aura can find fossils and mega stones? You know what I am building. What if for being our Professor for as long as you are happy doing so in our free time we help you hunt fossils?"

The man is gruff, stoic and very, very smart. But at this he's almost like a growlithe about to get a treat. Wagging his tail in anticipation. "...I'll think about it...No. Damnit. You know what I'm going to say. Fine. Five years to get someone up to where I want them. Don't know what you want with an oldtimer like me but fine. Five years. Got this promising kid in his second year. Elm or something. Right. More work. Damn it." The line cuts. The idea came to me that I couldn't take Professor Oak for myself. Ash would need him more.

The other Professors have to stay where they are at too but Redwood? He might be older, certainly, but he seems like the type of man that would still get up early in his nineties and go about his day the same as in his forties. It would be a great boon to research and just his connections. Another letter went out to Liza at the Valley. Hmm. I'd have to visit again after the fight with Mom. Or no. Perhaps I'd go there to train before mom. Yeah. See how Bruno and Rose are doing.

Then its onto the gym. I'm not overly concerned upon further reflection. If I recall Chuck had only a few fighting types that had status effects. A poliwrath or some and such with hypnosis. Now, he could have something else crazy that he doesn't often fight with or for his main team but Chuck always seemed very straightforward. I'm betting on his team being tough and hard to take down. The gym is rather rustic and I can hear grunting and mild curses from the back. A large outdoor field is set up there and yep. That's Chuck. He's much younger than I remember and its a pretty big difference. Not as bulky, longer hair but the still loud man.

"Hah!" He's punching a bag with impressive speed and strength. This man may not be Bruno but he's dedicated. And sharp. It only takes him a moment to notice me and his voice is quite warm. "Hey! Come to train or a badge? Or just to talk? Hahaha. I guess you could be all three!"

Alright. Wattson has to meet this guy sometime. "I'm here to challenge you. My name is Ella Mita." His eyes widen in excitement and he tosses a towel over his bare chest and hurries over.

"Yes! I'm so pumped. Got word of you a while back and my team has been _ready!"_ Okay I could get used to this.

"Well, just show me where to put my dex and I'll register."

Five minutes later and we're back outside. The indoor gym is wrecked, again as he put it, so we're going to fight where I met him. Fine by me. I have to admit I'm very excited now. I still think I've got him. Too many of my family have huge counters for physical attacks. Only the poliwrath of his team worries me.

A harried looking guy comes out to ref. Looks like he was taking a nap.

"This is a four versus four battle between Ella Mita of Blackthorn and Gym Leader Chuck Atlas. Begin!" Chuck just grins madly and releases a machamp that starts punching the air in pleasure of a good fight.

After I release Sunny things go downhill quick. "Aww. Why'd you have to go with a fairy? They're so frilly and lame. Fine."

Now, Sunny can forgive a lot. She probably would be fine later even if now her ears droop. The pride of finally going out there for her Mom was high and now its going down. She would forgive Chuck. And its likely that Chuck didn't mean what he said. He's young right now after all. I however take after _my_ mom. No one insults my pokémon.

There are a lot of strategies that are petty and mean. Unfair. I use those on enemies. To kill them. In gym battles though? Not so much. It doesn't help us learn or have fun. If I could manage my plan at the end of the Conference another way I'd likely not battle gyms at all. I'm a fan of pokémon for the pokémon not for the game. It'd be cool to be a Champion but its never been what I really wanted.

So I am vicious to the machamp. "Time Out Sunny. Ignore his words."

Sunny just yawns delicately and looks a little downcast. Machamp brings his fists up to run at Sunny who has sent out double teams. Machamp looks all ready to punch them all and indeed he starts with two of his arms settling into bullet punches as the free ones start to bulk up.

I'm livid and not playing fair though. Machamp gets through maybe five of them then falls down. Snoring. Reflect screens pop down on all four sides of him as Sunny boxes him in. Her first yawn was indeed Yawn.

"Sleep Talk!" Machamp indeed starts to smash at the reflects with various elemental swings or what not but Sunny is already using Charm and Tickle at the same time. Her ribbons dart in when reflect screens shatter and she starts debuffing like mad. Nothing hits her as she starts up another Yawn anytime machamp tries to wake up. Fake Tears that have some real ones in them make me even angrier. All she wanted to do was stand tall. I get that Chuck probably doesn't deserve this but fuck him. He made her feel small for just an instant. Pokémon all share pride in their abilities.

Finally Sunny is done and lets machamp stagger to his feet. He's a mess. Charm confuses you to who your enemy is, tickle looses muscles that are used to attack and fake tears convinces your senses that you can trust the sound of the person who cries them.

"Hyper Beam." Sunny just got this. I refused to give it to her before she stood up to want to be a healer in our true battles. I gave her one of the most destructive attacks to her line. Pixilate makes it downright nuts in potential and while she'd never match my heavy hitters the bright pink lance of power slams the machamp out of the arena and through some trees. I ignore a sheepish looking Chuck and just kneel down to let Sunny run into my arms.

"He's an idiot. Of course you're lovely. You're my daughter. But he had a poor tone of voice didn't he?" Sunny nods a bit and then looks back. You'd think she'd be all happy at her victory but consider who she trains with Journal-kun. Massive forms crashing through trees are pretty standard for her.

Chuck comes back with his machamp already returned and sighs. "Alright. I deserved that. Sorry Ms. Sylveon. Its not you. I've a problem with fairy types being so dainty. Just rubs me the wrong way that they can take on fighting types like that. Not your fault at all. That's on me. Friends?"

Fine. His aura is sincere and he doesn't seem at all upset that Sunny beat the snot out of machamp as much as he is that he caused distress. Sunny's ribbons pick up on my approval of the apology and rushes over to pat the man to assure him all is forgiven. Then tries to chatter to him about how Time Out for her was something different than the combo she just used.

Again to his credit, Chuck just listens until she's done with her point, even if we have a match going on.

"Sunny? Want to stay out?" She immediately shakes her head.

"_Even if it was kind of a let down I think you should let the others have a turn. Query first! He said he had a surprise!"_

Chuck just waits patiently. Fine. He'll be forgiven. After the match.

Shrugging at that I toss Query's ball out and my shiny boy seems quite pleased but not at one might think. Chuck's eyebrows raise and a savage grin gets on his face. "I heard you developed a combat style for this guy?"

"Well. It was myself and him together at first but its all his own."

"I know its likely very brutal and to his strengths but would you mind letting our pokémon duke it out in just that? I'd like to see it. Honestly, even if you lost you'd get the badge so its just to learn now."

What an honest guy. If only he had a bit more tact. "Sure. Though I warn you that he's made it better than the last time he fought a gym leader." My opponent just grins even more and out comes a medichan. Interesting.

Query is already speeding forward with the agility he so often uses and starts into Phase One of Psi-Fist. Psychic spears already start at pressure points or to toss of the medicham's balance. The first of the bullet punches starts but then something interesting happens.

Each of the moves are deflected by the tiniest of protect walls. Medicham is constantly using Calm Mind, Mind Reader and Detect as Tru so often does to not dodge but disperse all of the damage in an insane display of reaction. Query is not deterred.

Gravity is flipped, then back to normal as medicham does the same move. He attacks back then, fire punches slipping into Query's guard for once and scoring his metal hide. Again Query is not deterred. Flashes start across his body and that does start to mess with medichamps ability. A few Meteor Mashes get through and then medicham is utterly on the back foot as every attack is a brick break. Query correctly deduces that the small protect shields cannot stand up to brick break. A full protect? Yes.

Medicham is battered a bit but responds with a counter that clangs my metagross across the floor. He digs in his feet hard and pursuit's back just fast enough to get in a smack before medicham gets off a recover. Showing just how tough he is, medicham tosses up a sunny day while low sweeping my boy.

It hits somewhat but Query catches himself with magnet rise before it can devastate him. Things descend into a brawl as medicham's ability to predict Query's rapid attacks increases in effectiveness and his own psychic abilities dull the spears that Query sends to knock him off balance. Then Query finally unveils his surprise.

I'll say it again. He's going to be famous. No one matches him in hand to hand. Grass Knot is the first of his new moves. Three minds dedicate all his spears to hitting medicham just a bit off balance then a grass knot savagely pulls the remaining leg out, sending medicham's face to the floor. A flash of the limb heading for his face blinds medicham but my boy does more with it. He uses the beam of light as a sped up laze targeting for Laser Focus and stealing a trick from Mars, a focus blast cracks the back of medicham's head as Query uses Meteor Mash at the front.

It doesn't stop there. Focused flashes continue as he uses his third new move in the style that is Psi-Fist. Telekinesis keeps medicham in the air without nearly as much energy as psychic and its like spinning a wheel in place. Medicham doesn't hit the ground until he's struck five more times on both sides of his head at dizzying speeds by focus blasts and Query's heavy limbs. The sound is painful to listen to and Chuck just stares at the knocked out medicham.

Query is very easy going all the time. But we all love Sunny immensely. Out of all my pokémon I worry the most about Query being vindictive. He was quite pleased at the start to brutally smack someone down for her. So yeah. Poor medicham.

"That was _AMAZING!_ I didn't want to be spoiled so I didn't watch your matches. But there was so much there! That was probably the most impressive hand to hand combat style I've ever seen. And from a non fighting type! Amazing! I've so much to think of. I'll have to re-watch.." He goes on for a bit like this before I cough a bit loudly. "Oh! Right. Hah! Two more eh? Fine fine. "

Idly I recall Query. While Chuck's made up for his mistake a bit I'm still feeling fierce and mean so I consider. She has been watching us for a while hasn't she? Would it work? If not I've still got Query and Mars. Angel appears with a cry of satisfaction in my mind. The hitmonchan across from us is a bit rowdy as he hops about tossing fists into the air. Chuck wisely keeps his mouth shut at my second fairy.

"One moment if you don't mind Chuck. It'll make this fight special." Now he's curious and waits with good humor….Yeah still mad.

"Angel. I got this a while ago thinking of you. Or at least hoping for you. I'll tell you later exactly about it but just think on myself and my team. If it works you'll know right away." The Mega Stone I give her fits well with a leather necklace I gave her a few days ago purple ribbons edging the leather.

Chuck blinks a bit then raises his arm over his eye as my Angel mega evolves without trouble.

How? She's trusted me for a long while. In a series of images she showed me that she wanted to join the moment she caught up to us at Goldenrod but that her premonitions advised her to wait. That we needed to meet at a certain time in a certain place for me to be in the right place to be her trainer. My eye misted up as I realize that if she was the first pokémon that I met that my decisions may have harmed it might have broken me. Wattson was easing into it. Joker showed me that they could live a good life without me. Hard, but good.

If I saw Angel's scar first? I might have been broken. What I feel now? She's perfect. Shaped by her life she found her place and then didn't let anything stop her from going forward to more. All I want for her is what she already has. Love that she's dreamed of for her entire life. Exactly like me. Is it so odd that we are this connected? I don't think so.

Mega Gardevoir is amazing. I never really saw the appeal of it before today. Sure, I respected the stats and ability but seeing her as the perfect Angel she is? Its breathtaking.

Hitmochan immediately parts into double teams and Mach-Bullet Punches. Angel dodges all of them with a barely foot long teleport each time hitmonchan swings. Every punch. How? She skill swapped Hitmonchan's Keen Eye and used Trick Room. In a second. Her Telepathy ability lets her react faster than all of Query's brains. He can focus on more things but she can react faster.

She lets hitmonchan get a few more attempts in and before he can change tactics she demonstrates her amazing psychic power in this form by tapping his shoulder and they vanish. My aura directs me a few hundred feet in the air and I can see dazzling blasts of fairy energy and a few moonblasts. Pokémon can take a lot but even I wince as she teleports rapid fire around hitmonchan. Each teleport means another dazzling gleam or moonblast and I feel her opponent lose consciousness way before impact. Which doesn't happen as Angel simply catches him gently and lets them both come to a soft, perfect landing.

Before Chuck, who is again gaping, can return his pokémon she pulses an image of him waiting a moment. There is a bit of shock in his aura but its hard to resist the feel of her kind thoughts. Kneeling next to the pokémon she just brutally destroyed the battlefield fills with the presence of her power. I'm used to such displays from Zaela and sometimes Mars but this is different.

All is right with the world. She's here to help. Angel. A heal pulse that Tru and I couldn't form together washes over hitmonchan and his considerable injuries are gone as if they never existed. He regains consciousness moments later, quite confused and well, I normally don't repeat what other pokémon say besides my own but this was too great.

"_Holy shit. You just shit on me. That was the worst beatdown I've ever experienced...Are you single?"_

My newest family member blushes _hard_ and simply nods before gliding back over to our side of the field. Chuck tries to recall hitmonchan. It is denied.

"_Dude! Did you see that?! Why the hell would you return me when _she's_ over there still? Just because you and your wife get all pissy means you have to stand in my way! Damnit. I'm sitting over here and watching her beat the crap out of poliwrath. Don't even deny you're gonna use anyone else."_

Chuck just scratches his head as he watches his pokémon raise his fists and rant a bit then sit firmly down on their side of the field but making sure he has Angel in frame. Angel sends me a few pictures of various pokémon together as a couple and a question if hitmonchan meant that about her. My confirmation, amused as it is, makes her blush again even if she is not very interested in him. Or anyone just now. But its still highly flattering to her and she smiles at him.

"_Damnit. She's going to go off with her trainer and I have to stay here with this idiot. I mean, he's my boy but...Fuck." _I have good hearing. I'm really trying not to laugh.

Chuck coughs and tosses out a poliwrath. Surprise! Sigh.

"Want to stay out Angel?"

"_Her name is _Angel?!_ Why the hell couldn't have that girl with the wicked eyepatch have caught me?! Damn you Arceus! Damn you!"_

Okay I might have snickered.

Poliwrath just stares at her teammate and shrugs. Slamming her massive fists together she gets ready as Angel sends out a desire to try out her new form more. Also an image of us standing in a mirror with myself in a dress so we can match. I kind of ignore that and the mental equivalent of a raspberry fills my head. Weird sensation.

Poliwrath lumbers at Angel while tossing out giant water pulses that are stopped by light screens. A rain dance makes poliwrath surge in speed that really shouldn't work for such a creature but Angel just Traces the Swift Swim and satisfaction pulses from her as she reads intention from poliwrath.

Two massive Moonblasts form and shoot down. Poliwrath makes a snort of satisfaction and pats its belly as it steps into the attacks only for Angel to teleport inches in front of her, flashing a Confuse Ray immediately then ports them both out of range of the Moonblasts. Poliwrath panics a bit as she keeps hitting her belly faster and faster and passes out with a frustrated whine after smacking her face into the hard ground. Yep. The fight lasted only seconds. Still better than the bug gym.

Now I feel better. Mars won't get his turn but he wouldn't care. More sleep for him. Chuck radiates confusion.

"_Did she...Just set up two attacks that would have destroyed me to draw out a bide? Then when poliwrath hit belly drum to make the bide one-shot she used endeavor?! Hey! Angel! Marry me! Fuck Chuck."_

Angel just sends him a slow smile and regret that she is not ready to seek a mate. She really isn't. She just achieved her life's dream of finding the home her senses told her was out there. What she does do is start healing up poliwrath as well and thrums apology when the tadpole pokémon gets up. Poliwrath just lets out a happy gurgle (no actual words) and pats Angel gently before returning herself. Huh. Nice mon as Wattson would say.

Hitmonchan just sighs and pats Chuck's shoulder. _"We both have shit luck with women dude."_

"I...What? Well. Shit. I have more training to do! Four losses! Four days straight! Hah! That was a lesson in humility and that fighting style! I'm pumped all over again! Hah! Here's the Storm Badge! Thank you. With this I shall get stronger!"

I leave to a small rain cloud over Hitmonchan and Chuck running around with weights and jabbering about needing to work until he passes his own limitations or something.

If he has a green spandex suit I'd be very worried.

Angel walks with me and slowly glides along in a dance of contentment as mega evolution fades. "That was impressive. How did you learn all that?" We hadn't done any training really between Olivine and here. If I hadn't seen some of what Angel had gone through I wouldn't have let her fight.

Pictures of Gallades show up and her sparring against them. Rapid teleports with precise destinations flow into ways to use sensed expectations against others. No wonder she destroyed them. For hitmonchan she got in close where he was strong and startled him. Normally she cannot teleport unwilling persons. Or at least that's what I got from the picture of her teleporting me smiling and then her failing to do so with a picture of me frowning. Her actual self is playing with her mega stone in its necklace with deep pleasure that we succeeded at it. She also pulses an idea that she might be able to teleport anyone, willing or not, in her mega form, so powerful she felt.

As for poliwrath she used the expectation of the overwhelming force that she used to take out hitmonchan to trap poliwrath into trying to take her out with one hit. The confuse ray managed to make sure that even with the Endeavor she couldn't attempt anything else, like Rest maybe and also for a second form of taking the tadpole pokémon out. A belly drum enhanced confused attack would do it.

She really is the worst opponent for fighting types. We head back to the Pokémon Center to make sure Mega Evolution didn't cause any damage and get treatment for Query, who did get knocked around a bit, and to let Sunny talk to the local Joy. She's adored every single one we met. Afterwards we head to our camp just out of town and meet up with the rest of the family. Congratulations are heard for our victory. Aurora is probably the most surprising.

"_He said _what_ about Sunny? I'm going to freeze him. See if he can be brought back to life in a few ages!"_ In a rare display of movement that isn't slow plodding along she starts stamping back and forth in circles. Zaela is almost purring at seeing her friend get angry.

"_What was that you told me sister? Oh yes. Give into your anger!"_

I just snort and work on brushing out Sunny's fur. "Chuck was sorry eventually Sunny. Sometimes people are stupid but it doesn't mean they can't learn. You taught him well." And Query. And Angel.

"_I know Mom. It was a bit sad at the time but I got that big meanie! Oh. Well. He seemed alright. That's probably the thing I dislike about battles the most. I don't get to talk to the other mon! And show them we can be great friends!"_

"_Hah! You tell them Sunny. I wish I'd been there to see it. Eh Tru? Watch our ball of light beat the snot of someone my size?"_

"_Yes Watt. I get it. You did well Sunny. I am glad you were not deterred from continuing your fight. I already know I can count on you to aid me to heal. Now I know for certain you can watch my back in a fight."_

That makes Sunny beam at Tru. Tru's fibbing a bit. She always knew she could count on Sunny to step up but hearing the lucario that is the most honorable and just of our team call you a bad ass in her own way? Sunny starts purring into my lap.

"_I'll freeze him and have Mars roast him so I can do it again! Then I'll get my hat and we'll cook up some idiot st..."_ Its lost as Aurora stomps out of range. Zaela follows to amp her up more. I think. Best keep an eye out on that.

"_Sunny. Strong. Never doubted. Heart stronger than rest. Biggest strength."_ Damnit Joker. Such earnest, serious intent. I get a bit misty eyed as Wattson smacks Joker on the back.

"_Good one bud. What do you think Mars? Query? Where are they?"_

"_Don't even try. Query said he has him on the ropes in their month long chess-poker-jenga game."_

"_Sooooo Query is going to lose in a few hours?"_

"Yes Wattson. Tru, would you mind finishing up? Angel is sending me excitement and a request to come meet her over there someplace."

"_Of course Mistress. Watt, if you would, go tell Zaela and Aurora they'll not be getting dessert if they cause a ruckus."_

"_Sure thing m'gal. Heh. Love it when you blush." _Wattson walks off in the direction of what might be the start of explosions without a care in the world. _"Wait. Doesn't Aurora make the desserts anyway?"_

Angel pings me more and more in pure delight and more than a little reverence. I'm unclear as to what it means but follow along. My senses read...Something ahead. Powerful but utterly kind. Sort of. Its hard to tell. I'm a bit wary but Angel just radiates trust.

As I round the bend I blink my eye. Oh. That's right. She showed up here in crystal. Suicune.

Nothing quite matches her. Nothing really describes the serenity her presence brings. The delicate streamers that coast behind her body. Her head with all its regal beauty. The kind and knowing look in her eyes. Not my legendary but such a favorite.

"_Guardian. You have found your path well. Its been too long since a defender of Life has been born to humans. You were so close to one of my homes I couldn't resist. Come closer."_

I could barely breathe as I stumbled ahead just in front of her. My legendary is stronger than her but she already is….Overwhelming. Pure. A tear runs down my cheek and Angel just wipes it away with a soft smile.

"Its amazing to meet you. I've always wanted to see you once." She's another of the legendaries I considered. She was so close to being my pick.

"_The honor is mine. The feeling of your team saturates the air. Do you know why you and your team are so special? It is not _just_ because of your care or any sort of destiny upon your head."_

My eye goes wide with amazement and the tinkling of bells is Suicune's laughter.

"_So you do know that you are Fate-touched. The elder of the legendaries will recognize this. Aura. Aura breathes life into pokémon. It evolves us. How do lucario talk to people? How have only they evolved to do so besides legendaries? Aura. Life. Psychics have the potential as well. Your family draws on your aura to become more. Smarter. Better."_

Is this why Mars was born a genius? Did being around Tru and I affect him? Constant exposure over his egg stage to bring out his full potential? Tru and I trained daily with aura since we met. Even if that first year was harsh. Is that how all my group have jumped in leaps and bounds? I had always worried if I would become a burden to them as they grew. That I'd be their weak link. If this is true...I can't think of the relief I'll feel.

"_You see some of it. Legendaries were formed by concentrations of an ideal, element or even dreams. But they only became such because of Life. Aura. The first Aura Guardian of your race found out this truth before they spread across the world. I bring it to you again in hopes you take this knowledge and make use of it for the world. Concentrate your Guardians. Train them and nurture their pokémon like yours."_

This made so much sense. Why are all the legends of Sir Aaron about not just himself? But his pokémon too? They were amazing examples of their species. Why did every legend of Aura Guardians of old talk of their partners? Shit. Even Tru and I. When we join forces our abilities exponentially enhance ea-….Can I do this with my other family in some way? Could I boost them?

"My Lady. I...Thank you. I...This...It means a lot." Really it does. I'm never going to be as tough as a pokémon. But this? If I could help my family in such a way?

"_There is no need. When you were born some of us were quite aware of what it meant. Paths were set out and some of us are to be called to aide you in our own ways. A few may give you issue but the one you are destined for us awaits. She is ready for your glorious battle and all that would come after should you defeat her. You already have her respect."_

Suicune leans forward to press her forehead against mine. The forest sings with emotion as Angel lets us feel each other through her. I'm so overwhelmed by the possibility of doing more for my family that my aura is out of the calmness it needs to sense emotion. Suicune feels of purity and amusement. As well as quite a lot of hope for me. That I'll guide many to life.

"_You are not the chosen. It is amazing that you accept this and move to a path of support. Seek out aide for good causes. Some of destiny is known. Some not. While I cannot promise help of the elders, the beasts of Johto will come at your call if the situation dire. Seek us out at the tower. Guardian, live well and long."_

Suicune lets out a low croon of farewell and turns, vanished in a blink of an eye towards the sea. Angel wraps me up in a hug as I cry. Different than the tears I shed when we met. Those were filled with grief and a bit of humility at her feelings for me.

These are tears of such hope I can barely think. I can be more for them. All of them.

My Angel holds me as I thank the world for the gift of my family and the promise of tomorrow.

* * *

Angel

A series of pictures are on this page. The first is of Angel leaning over Mars' wing watching him draw for her, as the Angel figure is pointing at the picture as if to tell him what to put.

The next is of the entire family, all twelve and Ella at the end. Angel stands at her side and is hugging her tightly with a firm expression. As if about to say something important.

Another with the family laughing together around a camp as charizard fly above in droves. Angel is gazing at them in awe and points out how many they are.

The next is Angel giving the person looking at the picture two thumbs up as if saying 'good job'!

Next is a drawing of everyone standing over a grave with bowed heads. Then them gathered around a table and talking to each other with thought bubbles, each of them a different memory of the dead person. All who think of them have a slight smile on their face.

The one after shows Ella asleep and Sunny next to her. Sunny is awake and caressing Ella with her ribbons. Sunny's face shows concern and care all at once.

The next is Query and Wattson talking together while they watch Ella walk past them in a daze. Both Query and Wattson look as if they don't know what to do.

Aurora and Zaela next as they help Ella up some stairs. Ella looks drunk or sick.

Mars sits next to his mother in the next picture. She leans against him, crying. His wing wraps around her protectively and his face is infinitely kind.

Joker is out in the wilds, hunting a man with a uniform. Joker is angry and blood streams from his claws as he rages at something.

Tass is shown flying through the air above a building, determination on his face as he moves towards the hospital.

After that is the Water Maiden as she presides over her court, directing the gyarados to war. The Order's flag flying behind her.

Finally the legendary sleeps above their home in the Valley, guarding them all and a content smile on her face.

Only a few pictures are left.

The next is of Angel herself with Ella's face in her lap, gently running her hand through the hair of the one-eyed woman. The scene around them is of comfort and home.

The second to last is of Ella herself smiling a sad smile as if she is walking away.

The last is of her family watching her walk away. They look confused and helpless.

Mother, I drew these for Angel at her direction. The last she could not properly put down but...If you continue to let this go on she worries about your future. Something of what will happen if you let this crush your spirit. I was not worried when I wrote my letter. I am now. We'll be talking when you come home.

Angel is sticking her tongue out at me for ruining the theme of her letter. And that while she's concerned I should draw one more that she wanted to give you separate of these. She said it would give you perspective.

An attached picture is of Ella, younger now, and the team. Its of their first day with the legendary in the Valley. Of the guardians arrayed before her and the hope of the world on their faces. Of all that they built. Together.

* * *

**Whew! Lore dump and things! Not entirely happy with Chuck's gym battle but Ella's team really shits on fighting types. Plus Chuck never seemed to be the type to have more out there fighting types. And he's young. Also, Angel is strong! She's going to be the roughest to write battles for later. Erk.**

**Writing her in general is a challenge but I enjoy it quite a lot. Always thought of Suicune as just...Nice. Good. And apparently the legendaries (Some of them) know a bit about Ella's fate. Something. Well. Fate did say she was around in some for or another in the pokémon world.**

**Ash is still the Chosen One. He's still going to do amazing things in this story. But Ella has a big place in the world to find and she just got a huge pile of hope after taking some hits. Next chapter is a reunion, the Lake of Rage and something else! I like being vague. It won't be Pryce though. That'll be the chapter after. I've got plans to make for that bastard and need to do some research.**

**Onto the team!**

**_**1- Zaela the King Garchomp (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Adamant**__

**_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, Double Team, Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, Rain Dance, Mud-Slap, Dual Chop, Slash, Dragon Claw, **_**__**Draco Meteor, Dragon Rush, Earthquake, **__**_**Stone Edge, **_**__**Crunch, **__**_**Fire Blast, Aerial Ace, Hyper Be**_**__**am**__

**_**Combination Moves: Furnace (Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit)**_**

**_**Pain Whirl (Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and Rock Slide with a helping of Mud-Slap. Confuse them in a tornado made of giant pain rocks)**_**

**_**Grinder- Earthquake and Earth Power to simultaneously disrupt movement and provide a sharp incline to speed up Dragon Rush and manually activate Stealth Rocks. Rock Slide to subtly hammer Stealth Rocks towards vital points. Very tiring.**_**

**_**Ella's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_**

**_**2- Query the Shiny Metagross**_**__** (Identifies Male)**__

__**Ability: Clear Body**__

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

**_**Moves: Iron Head, Iron Defense, Take Down, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Psych Up, Gravity, Ally Switch, Miracle Eye , Scary Face, Brick Break, Meteor Mash, Agility, Magnet Rise, Return, Reflect, Double Team, Light Screen, **_**__**Rock Smash, Hammer Arm. Pursuit, **__**_**Hammer Arm, **_**__**Toxic, Shadow Ball, Hyper **__**_**Beam, Focus Blast, **_****_**Flash, **_****_**Laser Focus, Telekinesis, Grass Knot, Giga Impact**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Psi-Fist - A method of psychic manipulation of an opponents gravity and self to make critical hits happen. A variety of punches/strikes with heavy but small piercing-like psychic stabs to balance points. **_****_**Grass Knot and Flash-distracted Laser Focus attacks added.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Two- Constant mind/emotion reading to adapt to attack patterns and psychological weaknesses. Low level confusion waves to occlude and disrupt senses and to influence terror or caution depending on level of threat as well as psychological profile. Can currently use two dedicated brains for state two. Three deemed too detrimental to combat ability.**_**

**_**3- Truthseeker(Tru) the Lucario (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Inner Focus, **_**__**Justified (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Serious**__

**_**Moves: Foresight, Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Detect, Cross Chop, Bite, Mind Reader, High Jump Kick, Agility, Vacuum Wave, Crunch, Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash, Copycat, Rock Smash, Force Palm, **_**__**Aura Sphere, Heal Pulse, **____**Protect, **____**Power-Up Punch, Me First, Calm Mind, **____**Extremespeed, Toxic, Focus Blast, Shadow Bal**__**_**l, **_**__**Thunderpunc**__**_**h**_****_**, Close Combat**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Heal Sphere- Aura Sphere made with heal pulse energy. Very aura intensive but serves as a long range critical heal.**_**

__**EMT- Bullet Punch, **____**Extremespeed or**____**M**____**e First(Depends on move) to target who is attacking ally. Counter if needed while second hand is using Heal Pulse. High Jump Kick away if Quick Attack is not fast enough. Looking into Substitute, Extremespeed and Quick Guard for increased effectiveness.**__

__**Reader: Calm Mind, Mind Reader, Detect to stay in someone's guard. Protect to be **____**used**____** later when unable to dodge.**__

__**Regen: Developed by Joy's lucario. Bounces small Heal Pulses onto a Protect screen to cause small amounts of healing over time. Somewhat draining even when perfected. Calm Mind increases efficiency.**__

**_**4- Sunshine(Sunny) the Sylveon (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Cute Charm, **__**_**Pixilate (Hidden)**_**

__**Nature: Quirky**__

__**Moves: Fake Tears, Tickle, Wish, Yawn, Stored Power, **____**Charm,**____** Tackle, Helping Hand, Baby-Doll Eyes, Fairy Wind, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Swift, Moonblast, Refresh, Draining Kiss, Light Screen, Misty Terrain, Skill Swap, Reflect, Safeguard, Round, **____**Shadow Ball, To**__**_**xic, **_****_**Dig, **_****_**Snore, **_****_**Hyper Voice, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Double Team**_**

__**Special Moves: Talk no jutsu. Seriously. Okay not seriously. Just couldn't resist the joke.**__

**_**5- Mars the Shiny Charizard**_**__** (Male)**__

**_**Ability: Blaze**_**

**_**Nature: Lonely**_**

__**Moves: **__**_**Ancient Power, Flare Blitz, Scratch, Ember, Dragon Dance, Air Cutter, Crunch, Bite, Beat Up, Dragon Rush, Dragon Pulse, Slash, Fire Fang, Dragon Rage, Flame Burst, Flamethrower, Metal Claw, Smokescreen, Wing Attack, **_****_**Fire Blast, Thunderpunch, Hyper Beam, Toxic, Focus Blas**_**__**t, **____**Dragon Tail, Dragon Breath, **____**Shadow Claw. Will o' Wisp, Ominous Wind, Fire Spin, **____**Dig, Earthquake**__

**_**Combination Moves(Self Taught): Dragon Blitz-High speed directed attack. A fully boosted by Dragon Dance Flare Blitz combined with a Dragon Rush that can be changed mid attack by using an enforced claw with Slash and Metal Claw to dig into nearby surfaces to a new direction. **_**__**Wing Attack and Air Cutter to achieve similar effects in air. Steel Wing desired. Double Team to be added for confusion once completely mastered. Possible Beat Up Clones when team exceeds six members.**__

**_**Smoke Boost- Dragon Dance while setting up favorable terrain with Ancient Power and hoping for more buffs while covered in a Smokescreen. Double Team and Beat Up to be added later.**_**

__**Firewall- Flame Bursts tossed up high and fed with a directional Air Cutter. Flamethrower added immediately after Flame Burst. Able to use without Blaze but cannot sustain it while moving without ability activation. Ancient Power to be added in slowly. Rock Slide an alternative if learnt.**__

**_**6- Aurora the **_****_**Aurorus**_**__**(Female)**__

**_**Abilities: Refrigerate, Snow Warning (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Modest**_**

**_**Moves: Powder Snow, Thunder Wave, Haze, Barrier, Mirror Coat, Sandstorm, Hail, Magnet Rise, Discharge, Rock Throw, Mist, Icy Wind, Ice Beam, Round, Ancient Power, Aurora Beam, Avalanche, **_****_**Thunderbolt, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Safe**_****_**guard, Freeze Dry, Light Screen. Encore, Nature Power, Blizzard**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Storm Defense: Ability activation, Sandstorm and Barrier. Omni-Directional Discharge if any non-ground types enter the field.**_**

__**7- **____**Wattson(Thunderbug) the Ele**____**c**____**tivire**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Motor Drive**__

__**Nature: Jolly**__

__**Moves: **____**Thunder Shock, Cross Chop, Thunderbolt, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Focus Punch, Low Kick, Rolling Kick, Meditate, Dynamic Punch, Light Screen, Barrier, Thunderpunch, Discharge, Thunder, Shock Wave**____**, Focus Blast, Toxic, **____**Thunder Wave, **____**Dig, **____**Earthquake, **____**Electric Terrain**__

__**8- Joker**____** the Zoroark**____**(Male)**__

**_**Ability: Illusion**_**

**_**Nature: Serious (as fuck)**_**

**_Moves: _****_Fake Tears, Fury Swipes. Night Slash, Night Daze, Detect, U-Turn, Imprison, Pursuit, Hone Claws, Flamethrower, Scary Face, Feint Attack, Taunt, Foul Play, Torment, Double Team, Embargo, Punishment, Dark Pulse, Copycat, Sucker Punch, Shadow Ball, Bounce, Grass Knot, Psych Up, _****_Shadow Claw, Snarl, _****_Dig_**

**_**9- Angel**_**__** the **____**Gardevoir**____** (Female)**__

__**Ability: Trace, Synchronize, Telepathy (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Modest**__

__**Moves: **____**Teleport, Ally Switch, Trick Room, Dazzling Gleam, Healing Wish, Wish, Heal Pulse, Misty Terrain, Psychic, Confusion, Moonblast, Icy Wind, Mimic, Calm Mind, Captivate, Stored Power, Nightmare, Hypnosis, Dream Eater, Future Sight, Heal Bell, Echoed Voice, Hyper Voice, Hyper Beam, Shadow Sneak, Disable, Confuse Ray, Encore, Imprison, Skill Swap, Destiny Bond, **____**Light Screen, Reflect, Protect**__

__**10- Ghost Tass the ? (Male)**__

__**Not much known. Other than he's got stereotypical ghost ideas. In other words, can be an ass. Also possibly dangerous. But seriously. Ghost. Big duh. But actually isn't all bad! Gotcha! Uses suffering to heal in some way, somehow.**__

__**11- Water Maiden the ? (Female)**__

__**Tank of some variety. Prideful as fuck.**__

**_**12- Legend the ? (Female)**_**

_****Literally a legendary. Seriously. Its happening. Ella's ultimate goal for proof of her path to the world. Loses to Zaela a lot supposedly. For now. Possibly psychic or some mental ability.****_


	14. Ch 14- Adept and Reunions

**I've had this chapter in my head for so long. This was more realized than anything but the fight with the legendary in five or so years after the time skip. Even Ella's fight with her mom hasn't been nearly as so present as what occurs in this chapter. This chapter is called Adept and Reunions but I _really_ wanted to call it Adept and Rage.**

**Reviews!**

**frankieu- Since planning this all (was originally a different legend to tell her the 'secret' but Suicune deserved to be in the story) I had to give Ella her place in the power scale. Considering that everyone should know by now that Zaela is going to be a legendary in all but name Ella's power level would be laughable in comparison. Not even close to over 9000. Then I thought about her greatest dream. The return of Aura. Then about how Aaron is portrayed and yeah. It started as her rightly trying to be a healer from distance and then the idea of possibility. That she can bring out 100% of her family's potential. That's a scary power right there. Hitmonchan didn't start out that way but I thought of what response a super strong fighting type might have to such a beat down and he wrote himself. Poor Chuck. Thanks a ton for your review.**

**Episoph- I love Suicune. Just wish she was more powerful in the games. And like have a signature move. The concept of her is grand though. Query and Angel will have their moments. I knew it was going to hard having 12 different mons to write about along with Ella but eh! I love them all so much. Who cares if my brain hurts. The legend reveal is still a bit away. It goes this chapter, Pryce and a ghost the next chapter. Back to the Charicific Valley after that with a water maiden and also training to defeat Hannah Mita. Mom vs Daughter the chapter after that then likely two chapters of the Conference. The time skip happens then which is a chapter by itself then its the Legendary. So counting this chapter six or seven. Cresselia is a good guess! I think she's underrated on the cool scale for legendaries. Is she Ella's? No comment. Thanks a bunch for the kind words.**

**zubhanwc3 – I've got a stupid jingle in my head to remember how to spell your name btw. No I'm not ever sharing what it is. Just saying. Ella's future despair happens a bit before Query's love notes. It'll be explained more but lets just say she gets better at hiding her emotions. Maybe not from Angel. I was trying real hard to think of a fair battle against Mega Gardevoir for chuck. I even had him have a Mega Lucario in an early idea or Mega Medicham but nothing fit him really. So yeah Angel stomped him. And Query continues to show the increasing pain train that is Psi-Fist. Plus Sunny. Cause her movepool can be _really_ cruel to fighting types. Thanks for the review. Thanks for the added review. Pacing I think is something I do have down, even if other things I want to work on a lot more**

**Alakrux- Writing Hitmonchan probably was creepy at work on lunch. I might have been snickering in the break room while typing up his response to Angel. Speaking of her. She was always supposed to give Ella hope. There are a lot of parallels between them. Consumed by a dream. Training like mad. Horribly injured and not giving a shit about it. Then finding family. She reminds Ella of the joy of her mons all damn day. The future issues are not as a one time thing as the letters to her may account but a build up. Query's letters are written when Ella goes to be Aura Guardian and can't bring all her family to meetings or such so they are written over some time. Some after they meet Ash for his journey. It'll be shown in time. Its not just one event that causes this even if the hints of one instance play a big part. Exactly as you said. Consequences for being at the top. Thanks as always for the review.**

**weather witch nami- When you get here yeah. The Bruno bit refused to not write itself. Was a lot of fun. Thanks for reading!**

**DarkphantomX- Yep! The rough stuff happens when the Order becomes a global threat to all the evil Teams but this chapter is a bit more serious for certain. Thank you for reviewing!**

**Blaze2121- Angel is amazing! The best! I'll hear nothing else! But seriously thank you. Tass is next chapter so no spoilers! As for being a Master? Hrm. Never considered it. She'd be a generalist if anything. I'll think on it but Aura Guardian is the big thing for now. Thanks for reading!**

**Zeru'Xil- Thank you for joining this wild mess of a story I've created. I hope you continue to enjoy it.**

**Chapter time.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything of pokémon. Just my ocs.**

* * *

Adept

Outside Cianwood

I don't want to talk more about the end of last entry Journal-kun. Its a bit too sacred. I let Angel replay the event to the rest of my family but that's about it. Even Zaela is a bit speechless. When she lets us see the mental image all the words are repeated. After she finishes I ask her why she doesn't use words in her mind if she obviously understands them and can even repeat them.

Her response makes me a bit sad but also happy for her. She knows herself. Basically there are a long list of instances where someone says something, pokémon or human, and feels something else. She learned to use her emotions to communicate before she ever had the option of talking to others as many powerful psychics are able to. By that time she decided she would never mislead with words and embraced being mute in a manner that fills me with such respect for her. She threw away words for the language of pure understanding. Empathy at its core.

We spend a few more days in Cianwood. Our time schedule has dramatically improved. The Silver Conference is still so many months away. Before Angel and her ability to teleport to any city she has seen within the range of Kanto and Johto we would have finished the gym run with likely two months to spare for training. Now its twice that if not more. Its only been six months since we left home after all.

So we spend a few days at the beach for Joker mostly. He doesn't go in but he's fascinated by the ability to simply spend a day there doing nothing. Without the need to hunt or protect or anything. He also gets into a ton of trainer battles. Finally I have a pokémon who can fight lower level battles with ease. Joker's old family was made up of smaller, fist stage evolution types. He was slowly making them stronger so despite being my most deadly teammate he's also able to pull his punches. By the end of the three days we are there he's coaching a lot of the pokémon who lost to him. The trainers kept coming back to watch my team enjoy the surf but their pokémon came to learn from the naturally talented teacher Joker proves to be.

"_Munchlax. Speed important. Not yours. Theirs. Use it. Hard to react if surprised when fast. Seek to predict. Set up moves out of vision. Strong you are. Can adapt. Learn. Like this."_

Him being able to shift to their forms with Angel using mimic to show them how he wants their moves to act make some very happy trainers by the time they leave. Also, how does Angel communicate with his typing? She doesn't have miracle eye. Its because her emotions are mostly fairy and not at all psychic. Fairies are the power of emotion and dreaming really. She can't hit him with a psychic attack or invade his mind to cause damage. But his emotion is open bare to her.

"_Greengreen. Four legs mean you are sturdy. Attempt counters with grass. Query. Metal one there. Uses grass knot to control balance. Not damage. Use to hit with headbutt. Hurt badly._"

"_Pidgeotto. Not yet strong for big attacks. Follow example. Hit and run. Double team. Ignore trainer and show that physical attacks against fighting good, but not best. Angel fought with distraction and expectations. Deny those. Weave and use air. Fighters prefer up close. Never give opponent what they want."_

"_Kadabra. You know best what to do. Frail. Can't get caught. Not mean you can ignore it. Lots of enemies seek to disrupt your ability. Perhaps ask trainer for resistance training. Frail in body, but mind can bend body to give more. "_

"_Shocker. Go talk to Wattson. Ignore complaint. He offered help earlier. Forgot to be with Tru. Advice. Learn protect. Use against ground. Easy. Expensive for trainer. Not so easy. Work on tail strength. Heard raichu can surf on tail if strong enough. Stone expensive too. Sorry for your trainer."_

Yeah, that's how he spends the days we have running about. Tru and Query surf in weird ways. As in she uses him to surf while he does his best to let the water carry him on a reflect screen. It doesn't work well but they have fun.

Wattson and Aurora help Zaela build another sandcastle and battle her over it of course. This time its him on Aurora's back and playing a knight rescuing the princess (Sunny) from the evil dragon and its minion (Mars, who just falls asleep in the sand before the heroes reach him. Zaela was pissed.). Zaela dives under water for a while to act like an emerging monster. This is a thing now isn't it? Shit. This also leads to her finding a few water stones and what is very likely a lileep fossil. Plans for that.

The wtf looks are far and wide again. So delicious. Angel sticks next to my side, enjoying how much pleasure I get out of seeing my family have fun. Pictures of her joining next time enter my mind with the emotion of just getting to actually watch with me instead of longing from afar. I lay my head on her shoulder and fall sleep.

I wake later with my body covered all the way up to my neck in sand and Zaela's barking laughs. Good times.

Mahogany Town

I think I'm very biased towards smaller, quainter places. Maybe I'll never be a city girl. Mahogany town is rather beautiful. A bit more serene than the rustic Cianwood, even if the trees there are so much prettier. Angel teleported me to Olivine after we were done with the beach. She could have gotten me straight to Mahogany as she'd visited years ago as a ralts with her gallade trainers. She didn't tell me why but I expect its for the same reason I'm going. Well. One of the reasons.

The Lake of Rage.

Yeah. We could have gone there in an instant but I felt like flying with Mars. Its been mostly Zaela lately and I wanted to spend some quite time with him. We both enjoy silence at times so it was with great satisfaction that he carried me over mountains and forests until we came upon the town I'd be challenging Pryce in soon.

But not yet.

Those gyarados will be mine. First though to find the brat. My hero. I told him to come back to Johto and to the Lake for something he wouldn't want to miss. And because we haven't seen each other in a long while. Clair is coming too. I wonder how strong she's gotten. Lance responded back saying he's bringing their traveling partner and pleaded, as much as he can, for me to beat the shit out of him in a battle.

Whomever wormed their way into Lance's journey must be pretty strong to get my cousin to accept him. Because annoyance aside, my cousin wouldn't offer me a weak person to fight. I'm a bit excited. We didn't talk of a specific place to meet since neither of us had been to the Lake before but he knew I could find him by his aura fairly easy.

Mars takes us around the massive Lake once even when I indicate I've found Lance, Clair and Steven of all people within moments of arriving. I think he wants to give me time to get over the shock of Steven Stone traveling with my family and to see a bit of the gyarados within the Lake for the point of this journey. There is an Elder here. Probably that shiny one from the games. He's not quite Momma level but it makes me stand up in slight alarm. Then I remember my plan and relax as Mars takes us towards Lance.

How did Steven and Lance meet? As far as I know they never met in the anime or such but whatever. I'd be happy to see all three of them again. Dragonite, Lance's starter, sees us first and he and a sleek looking dragonair fly upwards to greet Mars and I. I see Clair's starter hasn't decided to evolve yet.

"_Ella! Its great to see you! Mars. Looking good. Lance won't admit it but he's missed you quite a lot. Your goal for us is still going strong."_

"_They're obnoxious. Its get stronger this and we'll do it that. The Stone boy does well in keeping these brutes in line. It is good to see you so strong and vibrant Ella. Clair still talks of you fondly. Mars. Is Zaela still trying to get in your wings?"_

I feel Mars blush at this, even if no visible sign appears. He does huff out a bit of smoke at Dragonair. She elegantly slides away from it in the air and looks down her snout at my son.

"_So some of your rude line's nature peeks through. How droll. Come. Lance and this idiot haven't realized something that I am looking forward to."_

"_Hey! I'm not an idiot. Lance may-"_

"Yeah I have an idea of what you might mean darling. First Clair though. The boys can wait."

Down we go, Mars still giving Dragonair an annoyed look but also contemplative. Their camp is small and looks like they were just getting set up so its likely we timed this perfect to find them. Mars comes down with a low thump and Lance gapes a bit at my shiny black dragon with a hint of envy. Steven, prim and proper even at camp gives me a slow nod of greeting, his emotions actually fairly warm.

Its Clair that glomps me when I jump lightly off Mars.

"You're hereyou'rehereyou-"

"Yes yes 'Aunt'." Its hard to remember that Clair is mom's sister, parted by twenty years as it is.

"Oh shut up. We haven't seen each other in person in ages. Traveling with two boys leaves me dreading the day sometimes. Its great to see you Ella." I simply smile and kiss her cheek as I hug her tightly then let go to walk over to Lance.

"Oy. Idiot. You being nice? Not smearing mud in Clair's hair anymore right?" Lance was all set to hug me then grimaces and settles into a glare only family can give.

"You're never going to let that go are you?" A bit of amusement at himself reminds me how he's my hero and I hug him tight. My arms tell him how I feel about him and he tucks my head under my chin. "Good to see you cousin dear."

"You too. And of course I'll never let it go. She cried for three days." The swift look of shocked betrayal from Clair fills my heart with life. I'm an equal opportunity teaser.

Lance's deep voice (when did this happen?) whispers in my ear. "This is the guy. If you could just destroy him a bit for me that-"

"Hey Steven. How is metagross? Query will be happy to see them." That's right Lance. Pull your jaw off the floor. It'll attract butterfree. "Did you get my second mega stone?" Mmm...Yesssss...So delicious Lance. Your incredulity fills my dark soul with light! Dragonair is chortling herself, tail over her mouth.

"Metagross is as they always are. So well. Thank you. It is good to see you again Ella. I do indeed have your second mega stone. It took a bit of effort but here." My eye gleams as he pulls out a small pouch and hands it over. I release Query and toss it his way. His usual hum of greeting is quieted as stares at the pouch. The metagrossite within it calls to him. That I can feel easily.

He doesn't stop staring at it for hours.

"You _know_ this bastard?! Since when?! He didn't say-" A sharp intake of breath. "_You're _the one with the dragon he's so fascinated in learning how to beat?! Zaela is a King sure bu-"

I release Zaela who doesn't roar as usual, what with the lake full of danger nearby. That's for later. However, my over 13' starter lets her presence flow outward. She's gotten way better at condensing her power in strikes but when she wants to make an impact she lets it flow. My King shoves down the energy into the ground which has the delightfully fun effect of making Lance shut his stupid mouth and stare. Clair's eyes are wide at how huge Zaela has become and Steven simply draws himself upwards a bit more firmly.

"_Yeah. That's right fuckwad. You missed a lot. Hey Dragonite. Glad to see you can stand up to my energy. Wish we could fight again but I agree with my sister. Become Champion. Dragonair! Its so good to see you!"_

Zaela always liked the calm, intelligent dratini Clair got. They both have that sort of pride from knowing oneself and being confident in their power. Of course Zaela is much stronger but it doesn't matter to her. The two chat off to the side. Zaela usually descends into the earth to talk more comfortably since she's gotten so huge but Dragonair shows her respect by flying about my starter's head.

"Something the matter Lance? What were you going to say?" Oh its so nice to be able to fuck with him again. I don't tell him how proud I am of him. That he's my hero. At least not till tomorrow. So I'm going to take my last day without him knowing just how much I adore him to fuck with him. I'm spiteful like that. Thank you mom.

"...you haven't changed a bit. Damnit. So did you give him a beat down like you did me?" The slow grin I let spread across his face just makes him sigh. "Of course you did. Someday soon we'll have that rematch dear cousin. Enjoy this while you can. Now. Why are we here?"

I let out my team to join theirs after telling Lance a slightly annoyed 'later'. We've got mons meet! Lance lets out a shelgon that immediately sticks to Mars for warmth and to ask a bunch of questions about flying. Wattson and Tru head off to the side and are joined by Zaela and Dragonair a bit later to enjoy watching the clouds. I find out they talk about all their adventures together and tease Tru about being the first of us to get a significant other.

Sunny runs around Clair and doesn't leave her side the rest of the night. They were quick friends in Blackthorn. Query eventually comes out of his stupor to talk to Metagross. Turns out Steven's starter did in fact get some of Psi-Fist down in its first stage but cannot at all related to the emotion reading required for stage two. Joker stays at my side and is a bit skittish. He's still not used to people besides me so Angel sticks with him and holds his claw anytime he looks like he's going to bolt. I offer to return him and he agrees after Angel assures him that there is no shame.

Aurora starts a meal and Clair's Kingdra (I sent her a dragon scale soooo long ago) helps out in curiosity and ends up having a blast. Wattson wanders over to help them with the delicate stuff later.

"So you still keep your team out all the time?" Its a bit odd for trainers really. Most keep all but one or two at most within their pokéballs while traveling.

"I adore them. They're family. Nothing against your choices but they prefer it outside so I tend to camp outside. Only been indoors maybe twenty days at night since leaving on my journey."

"_Clair! Clair! Let me show you how Aurora cooks! You'll love it! She'll give us some slushies if we help her too!"_

While not able to really talk to anything but dragons Clair reads Sunny's emotions through the ribbons and laughs, following as my bright girl tugs her along.

"Its impressive to see them all fully evolved. Are...Angel, was it? And Joker new? Wattson as well. You've got a powerful group." Steven's interest is so bright that Angel pings him with amusement after asking in a series of odd images to Metagross if she can talk to him. Its her, massaging Steven's scalp and making wavy lines with her head to Steven's and a questioning air. I know for a fact she could do it easier but she also radiates her version of humor about being convoluted.

"That's amazing. She followed you for that long? Her mental images are so very distinct." Steven gives my gardevoir a short nod and turns to converse with her. "You're the other mega that we traded for yes? How have you found the experience?"

Lance just stares out at all my pokémon and how they interact with a contemplative look on his face. My hero gives me a short grin at seeing me catch him. "Everyone is much stronger eh? Guess I've got a lot of work set out for me. Mind telling me why we are here now? Gyarados obviously. But why?"

Well. I might as well tell him a bit. They all deserve to know. "You all know my dream. What I haven't told you is that I already have a strong force of charizard to help with air duties. Gyarados sound great for water duty yes? And Steven knows where Aron and Aggron are sooooo. Plans!"

Lance's eyes were steadily widening as I spoke then narrowed a bit as he considers them. "You mean to conquer them here. And help keep Mahogany safe at the same time?" Yep, my hero is going to be a great Champion. Already he's going through possibilities in his mind. "Since I want to be Champion of Kanto and Johto this will look good as an achievement. Clair too. She wants to beat your mom you know? She might look up to you but your mom is hard to get past as a dream."

Don't I know it. I'm still shivering a bit at the thought of what mom's team will look like after a year of training to face me. "Steven is a happy accident. It frees up a bit of leeway in my plan. Lance..." My voice gets a bit serious even if its twinged with a hint of nervousness.

"Whoa. Never seen you unsure of anything before. Well. Out with it."

"When you become Champion...Would you endorse my Order? Knowing what I wish for them?"

My hero just throws his red hair back as he laughs loudly. It startles Sunny who gives him a pout and goes back to playing with Clair's blue hair. "I never thought you'd ask something so stupid. You've been clear about your goal before you got Zaela. That determined face hasn't changed. Lost eye or not. Of course I will support you. If there is anything clear about you Ella, its that you strive to help all you can."

My eye mists and I punch him in the shoulder which he returns and we wrestle a bit until Angel glides back with Steven. He's got my head in a lock and I'm biting his side when Steven clears his throat.

"This is quite the bribery. The girl who had my father sweating through shirts and the dragon trainer who calls me insults as much as he breathes both acting so very childish." Oh shut it Steven. I feel how refreshing you find it.

"Whatever prissy boy. Did she get a promise from you not to fight again until you are Champion?" Again, Lance may say he doesn't like Steven but I can hear the respect in his voice. He's sure Steven will succeed. I wonder how many losses to wins they have between them.

"Indeed. I would also like to know what is going to happen tomorrow. While your team looks very strong I don't think you could take on the whole Lake of Rage. Even with our help." There isn't unwillingness in his voice. Just curiosity for my plan.

"Well it will go like this…."And I tell them all about it besides one little detail.

The rest of the day is catching up, letting our pokémon mingle and just enjoying each other's company. A few thing stand out.

"Uhm. Ella? Mind if we talk a bit over here?" I raise an eyebrow at Clair. Nowadays I've seen nothing of the shy girl of the past. She's fully along the path to becoming a figure of note in the world. Dragon Master.

"Of course. Sunny? Lance has never had slushies before that I know of."

"_WHAT?! AURORA! STOP TALKING! Lanceypants needs your help! I'm on it Mom. Sunny to the rescue!" _Dragonite wisely steps out of the way as Sunny uses mega glomp attack. Then drags Lance off wrapped in her ribbons. Steven is having a Tru-translated talk with Mars that is probably insanely fascinating and likely to make us all richer. But Clair is family. I follow her a bit away.

"So uhm. I don't think you are..Uhm. Interested in anyone. But you always gave good advice. Er. Steven...Right."

Oh hell. I mean. I have zero interest in romance right now. Some of it is my overriding goal and some of it is a promise to let myself feel it later. Rose pops into my head for a moment but its just a thought, not a sure thing. Maybe after the Order is established? Or say, I uhm, grow up.

"Say no more. You like him. I guess don't know how to show it?"

Rapid nods.

"You're smart. You know that if he doesn't like you for who you are right now its not worth it right? Honestly. I'm not good at this. Talk to me about pokémon and I can list a whole lot of things but I expect the same advice is good. Let him see you. Find things that interest you both that you can share...And we're all young. Give it time?"

Really, this world seems to make everyone grow up so fast but Clair is only a year older than me. Steven and Lance are three years older than me. It might be a crush but I'll always take what she says seriously.

"That's mostly what I thought but...I think he's great. And a catch even if I know we're young." Smiling faintly I just hug her. I get it now. She's only had Lance and Steven to talk to for a while. No one to vent her emotions to that understand it. I only let Angel come to talk with us for the rest of the night. Even to save Lance.

"Damnit Sunny! When did you put the ribbons in my hair! Shut up dragonite! Who the hell changed my shoelaces to purple?! Query! Damn you Query! That was my hotel! Wait. Why are you breaking out twister? Ella! Ella! Make them stop!"

May you rest in peace Hero.

The second thing that stands out is Query and I mega evolving him for the first time late that night. More on that later. Just...Amazing though.

Rage Day

There were a few goals for today. The biggest is to secure myself a new force for the Order while yes, as Lance said, take some fear and pressure away from Mahogany Town. How? You should know by now. I haven't said it in a while! Aura bullshit. Is it going to be easy? No. But I know how to work with dragons.

Second is to give Lance a gift. A big one. One I talked to Steven about after handing off a stupid amount of interesting stones Zaela found for me in our travels. As well as the lileep fossil Zaela found at Cianwood. I wonder if Destiny had Steven be here to make Lance's gift all that much more impactful. Wasn't a cradily on Steven's team anyway? Huh.

Whatever the case we walk up to the Lake of Rage with purpose. Tru, Sunny and Joker all wait off a bit. Tru would sink a bit too easily in the water if pulled in, Sunny isn't ready for combat of what I expect and Joker is just a bit too frail (for now) without dig to fall back on to escape. So he's to watch after our two medics in case any of the rest get taken out. That leaves Query, Mars, Aurora, Angel, Wattson and Zaela for what I have planned. Its fitting really.

Clair and Steven start releasing their teams to surround the area a bit, mostly to keep people away and Lance does the same with all but his starter as I advised him. Steven sends out a second metagross that's a bit smaller than his starter, an Aggron, a scizor that I feel the pulse of a mega stone with (along with his starter), a frankly terrifying skarmory and a durant of all things. Interesting.

Clair's team consists of dragonair, her scary strong kingdra, an altaria, an ampharos, a surprise monferno (how did she find that?) and a steelix that has Steven's influence all over it.

Lance's team is about what you'd expect. A second dragonite, the aerodactyl of horrors, a charizard that snorts a bit of a warning at Mars, shelgon and a goodra. Really, they must have done some traveling they didn't tell me about or got super lucky. Lance's team goes to support Steven and Clair as I approach the lake, Zaela by my side and the rest of my chosen six behind me a bit.

Wattson's grin is infectious as he nudges Mars who is adjusting his mega stone. Aurora stands behind Query and Angel who are assigned to keep her safe as things progress.

"Lance. This is for you." Zaela lets out a roar that shakes the water. Flashes back to Jurassic Park and a T-Rex stomping the ground to make water pulse can't compare to the challenge of my starter. She is King and that means something. I make the challenge that much more by breathing deep and hard then pulse my aura into the center of the lake. Where the elder is.

"Wait. What? I'm just here to help you talk right?" Oh you poor boy. I've been doing my best to keep you on the path to Champion. This is just another shove.

"Sure. Its not like I got you into trouble all the time or anything." Really I didn't. Probably. Maybe. Alright Lance. Don't look at me like I just lied to you.

"….what are you going to do Ella?" He doesn't time to grill me more as the challenge is returned. A roar of such anger and rage washes over us. Zaela grins and lets out what can only be called a purr of contentment. The lake swishes and almost seems to boils as a massive red body bursts out to tower over us all save Zaela and Aurora. Cruel eyes stare at me as my aura continues to throw itself outwards.

"_...what do you seek Guardian? You yell challenge for battle! But your kind does not do so without cause. Speak quickly or regret your actions just as swiftly."_

"I come with an opportunity and a challenge. I did not lie. Nor did my sister besides me." Lance is staring at the gyarados with something akin to hunger. Steven is stoic even if his emotions radiate concern as more and more bubbles disturb the lake. More scaled behemoths rise from their home, ready to rage and destroy for their Elder at those who dare go against them. Blue plated gyarados are so numerous its almost as if we're looking at the sky shining in front of us instead of above. I however don't let it phase me. Admirably, Clair doesn't allow it to either.

"_Hurry then. Or face us."_

"That's what I want. My team against your six strongest save you. Wait until I am finished to tell you why. This lake is huge, yes, but it can't be all that rewarding to fight against each other or destroy that around you which cannot offer a challenge. Power respects power and you don't follow those weaker than yourself. My offer is this. I seek to rebuild the guardians. Already we fly with charizard. Not in great numbers but that shall change soon enough." If I have my way, at the end of my plan for the year.

The Elder just listens, not changing his expression from the slow growling rage that his kind are known for. I don't mind. I know dragons and him and his fellow sea monsters are all leaking a bit of interest.

"I would not ask you to follow or pair up with my Order unless I fought you and proved myself. You are strongest smashing over all in your path in a rage. I would have my six face your six as they rage." Was this fucking dangerous? Yes. But I am never afraid of being bold. Never.

"As for you? My cousin Lance here is my hero." Turn your head that sharply again Lance and it might pop clean off. Even if the shock you feel is flattering. "He has the potential to be the greatest dragon master the world has ever known. If you face him and his starter you would find a great battle. And perhaps if you fall and become his to make stronger you will stand at the top of the world in power."

Every pokémon knows that trained pokémon growing massively strong is just a matter of time. As opposed to elders who are very few in number. In the wild the strongest kill each other. Especially with gyarados. They aren't fully convinced but the dragonite next to Lance is just calmly patient as if I am saying nothing that strange.

Lance though. Lance is deeply touched. He always thought I more or less just thought that I saw him as family. Not even a true rival yet. To hear me speak to one of the strongest pokémon he's come across as I do? Well. We'd have a big hug about it later.

"As my Aura as my proof I speak to you this. If you fight us and we win you will all have battle. Against strong foes for a cause. To ravage and tear evil from the world. To heal wounds with your teeth and strength. Give me this chance and I will build you into such a force that will cause such fear that despair is the happiest of emotions our enemies will experience. Give me this chance."

I know I have them when one of the gyarados roars in challenge right back to me. The Rages that this place is known for is because there is nothing here to sate their anger. When they eventually mass up and destroy the surroundings more magikarp evolve to try and stay alive and a few years later it starts over. I don't know how they all got here but the idea of going out and showing their power to others? Away from this same stupid lake? Well. They won't just give up themselves yet but having an Aura Guardian (even if I am just a trainee still in my eyes) offer them something like this? With a King Dragon next to her?

Yeah I've got them. Zaela answers the roar and the elder snarls loud and long in agreement.

"_Six of ours to six of yours. And I shall take on this dragon master you proclaim. I hope you are in earnest about what you offer as a challenge Guardian. If not, it is time we raged across the land anyway. My second will speak for us if I am captured."_

The shiny red monster isn't exactly evil as much as he is savage. I've met a few gyarados trainers and all of them say the same thing. They're dragons. Fuck the typing. Proud and honest in the face of power. Its time to throw down.

Reflect shields and light screens from any upon Steven's, Clair's and Lance's team save his starter snap into existence behind us. We all know how often gyarados like to hyper beam. Oh yes. The Red Elder moves back to pick six of the perhaps fifty or so gyarados that are all clambering for a chance to test their strength against Zaela. I want this. For them to focus on my King. Not that she would wish anything else.

A few fights break out among the sea monsters that the Elder just casually breaks up with a massive swipe of his tail. One of the brawlers is instantly wiped out.

"You want me to take that on? With just Dragonite?" Lance doesn't seem too put out. If anything he's boosted in confidence by the way I act. As if it was obvious that he's going to win.

"Yeah. Problem with it?"

"Nah. Just figure it'll be boring finishing my fight and having to wait for you."

"Oh ho. So confident are we? Zaela and the rest of my team are nothing like you saw when you left."

"So you say cousin. So you say. Trash talking aside, be careful."

"You too jerkface. I've got another surprise for you if you win." Lance just blinks and grins a bit more widely. He knows my gifts tend to be huge. Clair's Kingdra getting a dragon scale from Momma for instance. Lets just say that even Zaela things twice of fighting something that was influenced by Momma's draconic energy. After all, she was born of it.

We stop our mild trash talking as the Red Elder comes back with his chosen combatants. They are about as massive as you'd expect but aren't overly bulky as some of the swarm? School? Big giant group of gyarados are. He picked speed. Good idea.

"_Let us begin then Guardian. I'll see if this 'master' can be worthy of my strength. At least his dragon looks fit. We shall begin in ten heartbeats. Die well."_

There is simple certainty in his voice. Its not a lie. We all die. But they aren't ready for us. My team gets closer as I step back and to the side out of the path of possible hyper beams. Lance does much the same as his starter shoots up into the air.

The dew of the morning smells fresh. The light above is beautiful. We are about to go into a hell of a fight and my heart sings as five beats pass. My eye flashes open and I let loose my desire. Three massive bursts of light on my side of the field occur. Mars becomes green, blue flame exploding outwards as he hisses in anticipation.

Angel's gown flows over and becomes more elegant as her mental presence floods the area with enough influence to make the gyarados against us pause in respect.

Then there is Query. Late last night we used his new gift by ourselves. To see if it would work and find out just how it felt. There was no pause. Just as there isn't now. Instantly he became more. Query knows me the best out of any of my pokémon. Zaela can get to the heart of me quickest but Query can predict how I will react faster than even Tru when she's sensing my emotions.

Query's body becomes bulkier and his four limbs point forward as levitating is back to being as easy as if he were still a beldum. While they don't look nervous, our opponents look quite a bit less sure of themselves.

Red Elder just snorts and the last heart beat seems to scream in my ear.

My team reacts in an instant, our planning for this fight having started the night after I thought up the idea. Mars was particularly pleased that we got Angel before we came here as he and Query drew up new additions.

The first thing that happens is the Rage. Its totally going to be a multi-gyarados combo move when they are of my Order. All six slam into the lake's edge and slither at my team together, roaring outrage and pulsing with barely controlled need to see us ruined. Zaela snarls and shows just how far she has come. The sand beneath them liquifies as she uses earth power and sand tomb in an instant to slow their assault. Two move to strike her down as they slog through the power of her trap.

The remaining four bring up water from the Lake in a surf that would crush my team. If they were even there. Aurora is slow. There is no getting around this. Her species is meant to tank hits and dish out amazing damage while controlling everything around them. Already her fins are charging up in what is my favorite pokémon move. Hyper Beam is cool. Blast Burn is neat.

Freeze-Dry though? Beyond cool. The only move in the game that defies its own type. Wattson lets out a bark of laughter and whips his tails about like mad as he charges a thunder. Query starts his agility boosts and brings up his arms in preparation as the giant wave approaches. Mars just snaps his wings and flies above.

My four watch the water descend and crash upon them with a bright pink flash. The sound is incredible and the gyarados are very disappointed to see nothing there. The far one on the left is particularly upset as Aurora lands on him and her fins condense the water in his body and the flying energy about him into the coldest winter of all time. A thunder courses through him as Aurora slides down his now frozen form and Query's fists slam Return after Return after Return into him. There is nothing that can stand against this and the three remaining gyarados turn up to see Angel floating in the air, helping lower Wattson to Query.

Aurora's fins sparkle with a thunderbolt and she hits Wattson with it who channels the energy to reverse Query's polarity and shoots him like a rail-boulder at the next gyarados. The sea serpent does not appreciate this. They are down by one from Angel's teleport but rally quickly. The two not hit by speeding Mega Query dip under the water a bit and come up charging hyper beams.

Zaela is roaring like mad, her claws pulsing with draconic energy as she fights off two beasts that acutally are bigger than her. Every movement causes a wound on both sides. Her job is to keep them from adding to the others and stay still. It doesn't mean that she abandons her usual methods. All of them are within her sandstorm and the sound coming out of it sounds like thunder. Cracks of blows cause the water to splash outwards. My starter is tossed out of the sandstorm with a passenger wrapped around her despite the cuts its receiving from her rough skin every instance. A crunch is on her shoulder and she howls in anger.

Dragon fire burns away at the gyarados' face as the second she was fighting emerges from the sandstorm with a brutal slash across his face that almost took out an eye.

Pulses of energy direct me back to Query who is hitting his landing pad with such power that the serpent's head back and forth as if the hand of Arceus is slapping him across the face. Aurora kicks up a blinding hail in front of the two hyper beams heading towards her and Wattson.

The sound of the two beams of light creates a screaming, high pitched whine that shatters a few of the light screens that Steven's team try to maintain. I don't spare a glance back as Aurora appears behind the two gyarados that just attempted to vaporize her. She floats in the air as she flash freezes the water around the two. Echoed booms of Mega Query's bullet punches disturb the water to slash against her hovering, magnet risen, psychic aided levitation. Trapped for only an instant, they turn to savage her as she is within range of the nearly 25' long serpents. Wattson, dropped above them in a flash of teleportation descends in a crash as the rain dance that Aurora set up above the two gyarados begins.

Crashing down with a twice boosted Motor Drive thunderpunch from either arm the two gyarados scream in such agony when he tops it off with a thunder. Before he can hit the water Angel is there again, flashing him out of existence as the two both thrash in deadly flails, their health so low to make it almost certainly a one-hit knock out. They turn to release their anger on Aurora to find her already gone, dumped in Zaela's sandstorm and shoving out another freeze dry at the serpent curled around my starter.

Zaela could have handled it on her own but we are built as a team more than a single one on one. The now certainly scarred spare serpent that nearly lost its eye dances back into the sandstorm after seeing Aurora shoot from it.

Where has Mars been? Above. Pulling ancient power into the air. Boosting himself. Dragon Dancing.

Its not quite time, but close.

Angel flashes left and right, over and below. Heal pulses hit Zaela rapid fire as she touches the gyarados fighting my starter and teleports her into the path of the one who ran into the sandstorm after my ancient dinosaur.

She lets loose and starts to flit about from attack to attack. Query trades attacks with his opponent without any care. Every piece of damage is healed in an instant. Heal Pulses. Wishes. Disables to stop an Ice Fang on my starter. To halt a flamethrower on Query. Wattson is teleported safe from an Earhtquake and the five remaining gyarados lose it.

We make a mistake. All of the five are almost out. Our teamwork is swift. Zaela and Aurora dive fully into the sandstorm and twin stone edges swat their targets so hard it skips them out and across the water, crashing so hard its a surf attack without meaning to be.

Wattson is so fast now that he blinks in and out of vision with crakling, booming laughter that can't be contained against the two who first sent hyper beams. Query has refused to let the serpent he's been pelting with thunder punches, even if the crunches on his form have caused his metal body to dent and lose its luster. His new form lets every blow land at new angles. Psi-Fist fits it perfect. All attacks start to cause ribs to break. No punch misses. Nothing can stand within his range and survive.

Wattson's laughter shifts, every crackle of energy means pain. Angel never lets him hit the water so fast does she react.

Every moment of damage Angel feels in an instant and blocks in some way. Reflect or Light screens pop into existence. She teleports her allies just an inch away from an attack. Anything she misses she pops up next to her friend and eases the pain or boosts them.

Her telepathy lets her dance through my team's massive power. Her gown is a hair's breath from Zaela's slashes. Her green hair is nearly parted by Aurora's Ice beam meant to trap a tail so Zaela's next attack lands easier.

Rapid thunderbolts seem to dance around _her_ as she predicts the movements.

Its amazing, but ultimately we didn't train against others enough. One of Query's brains pulses a warning of such panic I can't help but gasp. The gyarados are pissed at my healer. So very angry that their power is not able to get past the frilly little thing.

Hyper beams lace out to where they see her watch over my group the most, where she keeps Wattson from hitting the water and three of the five sent connect. She's so focused on the others she fails to read the emotions of our enemies. In the air for a split second to toss Wattson down again her eyes widen as light smotes her from the sky. The explosion hits the air like a bomb and the burning mess that is my Angel has her wings torn from her.

Query abandons his opponent, not caring that he's smacked partially into the water by a weak flail, the gyarados still recovering from the hyper beam. Agony and worry radiate from my team as they seek to end things, strategy forgotten.

My boy catches the newest, precious member of our team and speeds his fastest towards shore when the feeling hits me.

The rage the gyarados let out in battle is amazing. Suffocating. Its what makes their intimidate ability scream that you don't fuck with them.

The sky rips open in a fury that pales all others in the lake. Mars bellows out his anger past anything his line is known for. Angel has been with him every night since she arrived save for when we met Suicune. Every evening she helps him find just a little bit more in common with the rest of the family.

She's drawn his lonely nature to the front and eased it into understanding, showing him how he can relate and finally, bit by bit, starts to understand how to simply talk to us.

Seeing the key to the one drawback of his genius utterly destroyed reaches down into the soul of the charizard he is and releases all that he never was. A god of fire and dragon born to rip his foes into nothingness.

Query gets Angel just into my range and I recall her. She's already in stasis and I hurl her ball to Tru who has revive medicine ready. Angel pops out in her normal form, broken some but not enough for Tru to return her again into stasis to wait till we reach a Pokémon Center.

Mars notices nothing of this. He's been preparing to take out major attacks of the Rage of Gyarados. If they ever went on a body slam together or if they used another surf. As well as getting ready to finish them off soon. They were on the ropes after all. Now my team is trying to get closer around Aurora and Wattson who had to quickly swim over to her as he was dropped last over water, Zaela tanking a few hits to raise a bit of rock for him to scramble ashore. Query is heading back into battle.

Mars doesn't care about the plan anymore for once. Each gyarados raise their head to the suddenly sunny sky in return to the challenge. Such rage that is not theirs pisses them off beyond clear thought. Mars is the same.

Green glowing energy wraps him up as he howls out his need to crush those who hurt the first true friend he's had. Family is different. Its there and steady but Angel is the first to ever truly touch his heart and bring it out. I watch in awe as the ground shakes from his power pulsing down around us. Dragon energy suffocates us as the ancient power boulders he gathered seem to crackle with orange light and I can't blink as he uses Draco Meteor. Stronger than Zaela's.

My genius has done the impossible because of his emotion. Locked away within him to the logic that he holds so dear. Hyper beams move up to try and blunt the massive rocks pelting the battlefield.

Even caught in the world of fury that he is, Mars manages to aim them true. None stand after the attack lands. Every meteor strikes on point. Each brutal impact makes my charizard let out another roar of raging satisfaction for the blood he craves.

Even as they fall he flies down, claws flashing to rip and tear. It feels like forever, watching his green form smash into blue scaled bodies with massive explosions but eventually all I see is my team watching him circle the downed six to get back to me.

They move to stand with me as flamethrowers cover the air above, daring any and all of the rest of the Lake to come and sate his need for more revenge. The remaining monsters of rage just stand still, the true birth of the meaning of my charizard's name causing all to be quiet in the echoes of his fury. Alone he shows them what we are capable of. Of how far we will go to protect each other. The strength resonates with the beasts. That such anger can be brought from a desire to protect and avenge rather than from insult and boredom.

The emotion of the moment confuses me. I'm proud of how he reacted and sought to end things quick but I am also a mother watching her son be violent to seek to kill even if he is barely holding back. I know he'll be doing it for me soon enough. Some of the Rockets were certainly killed because of his actions in the base. But this is different. I'm not ashamed. Just worried it will consume him if he lets this linger. And proud. That he feels something so much. Even if it is hate and anger. He's tamed the Lake almost by himself and I'm confused. What the hell is wrong with me?

No wonder the booms haven't stopped. Caught up with the drama of our fight I failed to watch Lance and the Red Elder other than to feel their aura's clash.

My team is built on strategy and making our enemies react in ways we want. As well as coming from different angles. Zaela is a dragon who can do that and still show the overwhelming strength of her kind.

Lance is that in its purest form. Dragonite flies around at speeds that boom with a broken sound barrier, his skill with manipulating draconic energy moving him from one skilled dodge to another as the Red Elder's thunderbolts and ice beams shoot out rapid fire in a way only pokémon who actually have those types should be able to.

Safeguard after light screens subtly deflect any attacks that get close only for Dragonite to send back a blizzard that Aurora could barely exceed and a thunder that is pin-point accurate despite the notorious drawback of the move.

The Red Elder tanks both with some obvious pain. Both dragons are covered in wounds but show no signs of slowing. One of the Red Elder's front fangs is broken painfully. Dragonite's left antenna is missing but doesn't appear to affect his flying. Lance stands nearby, closer than is safe, his famous cape whipping about him as rapidly as his hair. I can't see his eyes but the way he's looking means he's only watching the Red Elder. That he trusts his dragonite to pull through.

We're built on trickery and priority lists of tactics. Lance's Dragonite is just that tough. That impenetrable. That unstoppable. If Mars wasn't so firmly in Zaela's eyes I'd know who she'd pick as a mate.

It ends in a clash I'd never want for my team. They are tough and strong but I want them to defeat an opponent with little to no injury if possible. Lance fights head on and keeps going. Through something because he can. Dragonite takes the Red Elder's hyper beam straight through, the barest form of a protect that shatters instantly. On and on Dragonite pushes into it without pausing until he's at Red Elder's face and a giga impact that matches Mars' first Draco Meteor throws the Elder to the water and parts it so swiftly we can make out the earth beneath cracking before it washes over the red scaled monster.

A simple pokéball snaps out to hit the shiny gyarados. Two twitches. Three. Ding.

Wading into the water Lance picks up his catch with a blank expression. His aura reads amazement and the humility of facing a titan for the first time. And winning. He joins dragonite at the edge of the lake and rubs his starter's jaw in pride.

Myself? I watch Mars land next to Angel and revert as does Query behind me. We all look over her form and sigh. She's got some broken bones and a large amount of lacerations but will be fine. Pokémon are very resilient after all. Mars radiates worry and a bit of shame but also the burning need to become stronger. I'll wait until he comes to me to talk about it.

Sunny and Tru are too busy to talk but Wattson comes over behind me with a sigh.

"_That was close. Worth it I suppose if we see what they say. Which we should boss. I know she's important but yeah. Lets go say hi."_

He's right of course. I turn and Zaela walks with me as before. I missed how much damage she took in the sandstorm she made next to the lake. Slashes of giant teeth are along her body and scorch marks of possibly flamethrowers. One nasty bit is obviously from an ice beam and I resolve to figure out how to enhance them like I can Tru. Long years are still ahead of us.

One of the larger gyarados come up to us. The six we fought are slowly coming to. Living an entire life with other pissed off sea monsters probably means they have to recover quick. I worry Mars is going to attack again but his revenge is sated for now. Only concern for the still out Angel is left. It isn't romantic. Just friendship of a pure nature that I could easily get lost in admiring it.

"_Guardian...You were right. I am the Elder now that the Red Elder was defeated. He cannot speak for us __anymore as someone else's__. Such is the way of being caught. We all saw. You were in no danger from the six. Five of you took them on with brutal ease. Their pride was broken. If you would have us, we would seek out this path you offer. A chance to stand as you and your kin do. Those six will be the first. __Take us to what you seek to build. This place cannot hold us now. Now that we've seen what is possible. We saw a dragon born in the sky because of what your bonds built. Rage drove us far. It is time for something new.__"_

It was worth it. The years of battle and training. Suffering through days of pain. Again my faith in my destiny was rewarded. I bow to the new Elder in respect and start heading back to Angel.

My confusion about Mars fades. I'm always going to worry for him. Even more than Sunny. Sunny will always be innocent. Even after seeing and knowing things that happen her being is meant to strive to find joy in everything. Mars cannot have that and I grieve every time I see him show that he knows death is needed. He's my child. But also my soldier. As a mother I worry for him endlessly and don't wish him to give into his newfound rage. As a commander I am pleased by his pursuit of our cause and showing the world what we can do.

I can be both. It will be hell on me but its what he needs. My own discomfort is irrelevant compared to that. I walk past the shell-shocked Clair and the deeply considering Steven to the pokéballs I bought for this occasion. Professor Oak knows to send my captures today to the newly finished Pokémon Center in the Charicific Valley. Bruno awaits to help the first of my new recruits learn the ropes. A deep river with underground caverns will be their new homes while not deployed when the Order gets off its feet.

Already some of the charizard riders are helping rangers with their duties, only stating they are bored training and wish to offer aid. The true name of my order won't come into the world's attention until later. For now we help where we can.

Hours later as I sit with Lance, Angel's head in my lap as she rests, I smile up at him. "You're my hero. I'm sorry I'm difficult and hard to deal with. This was for you as much as it was for me. To show you that you stand above me in some ways. That you're going to outclass me in ways I can't imagine."

Lance is very quiet as he watches me, his eyes flicking to my charizard curled up behind us as close to Angel as he can get. She's tender, sore and won't be moving much for days but very much fine. Relief pours out of Mars even in rest.

"You're really going to do this aren't you? Save the world. Why? Why work so hard for it? You don't have to. If you wanted you'd probably never be defeated as a Champion. "

I smile a bit and cup his cheek so I can lean up and kiss his forehead. "I dreamed of this. Before I was born. This was my dream. It always has been. I do it for you. For mom. Dad even. For my family. For pokémon. Why? I've loved them forever. They saved me. Why can't I give that life back to them?"

Lance just stares and sighs, hugging me into his shoulder and staring up at the night's sky with me. "I'll be here to help you Ella. If I'm your hero then I should live up to it. The world won't be able to stand against me. I swear it."

I believe him. My cousin is many things. Oddly funny, irritable but ever since he stopped being a jerkface he's held true to his desire to be the best. Period. Its a single minded effort that I see in myself. I'm so proud of him.

I fall asleep on his shoulder, knowing my hero will protect me anytime I can't do it myself.

* * *

Clair

The Lake of Rage. So many things were expected as Clair came to it. Ella first and foremost. To see her beloved cousin. Not niece. Even if true it never fit. Ella was younger but always knew everything.

From how to talk to pokémon easier to how to getting back at Lance without punishment. Clair knew that Ella would never stop caring for her. Growth on her journey taught her a lot. Helped her stand on her own but Clair never forgot Ella's warmth and spirit.

Steven and Lance are great. So much diversity and talent. But they just don't get her sometimes. That she's the lesser of three Blackthorn of promise. Or at least it would feel that way without the obvious love her family has for her. She's been very blessed.

Clair was always aware that Ella was strong. She spent a lot of time with Ella Mita's team. Sunshine and Query were the most friendly but now Wattson and Angel fill out the team in ways she couldn't believe. The giant Aurora as well. It really was a family and Clair resolved to spend more time with her own team. Even the Zoroark looked cool before he went back to his ball.

Its hard to not feel inspired from the obvious care all of her cousin's team has for each other. Then the day of rage. Of watching her scarred, serious Ella stand up to a force all with good sense would flee from at sight.

Of watching Lance stand against a pillar of such strength. Both her family. Both so much stronger than her.

It was amazing. Humiliating. How far ahead had they gone through their own effort? Could she have stood with them? She knew this all before. That she wasn't at their level. Steven too. And what was this crush? Was it what she should be focusing on?

No. Mars tears the sky open as a dragon should...And he isn't even one. Not all the time.

Dragonite lets nothing stop him. Not even his own body and limits.

How far does she have to go? That night Clair stays up late with her starter, watching the same stars Lance and Ella sit under a bit away.

Would her dream of being a simple Gym Leader be enough compared to the others? Or is something new needed? How far must her dream reach to have the drive to get to what is before her?

"We're going to find a way. To get there. We're so far behind dear heart. I'm no longer bashful. I'm not to be looked after. We go by ourselves next year. To Kalos. To Alola. To anywhere we have to. Next time we stand with them. Or die."

Dragonair agrees. Dragons and hardship. Its about time they grew up.

* * *

**Whew. That was hard to write. I'm only sorta happy with it but fun regardless. Ella's team is made for group combat. Its their strength above everything else. For those who might wonder why Query wasn't in charge here he's for actual battle like. War. They could have just stayed up in the air and teleported around with lightning and feeze dry if they wanted to win easily.**

**This was meant to show how they had overwhelming skill. Not cheapness. Then Mars showed the power ****and exceeded his limits****. ****I know charizard can't use Draco Meteor in the games/lore but fuck that. Mars is special. And who says that's not how Draco Meteor was developed? Ancient power fueled by draconic will.**

**It looks like Clair might have seen how far she is behind. Wonder what she'll do about it? Her story has just started.**

**Bit more of her, Lance and Steven as well as Lance's second gift ****next chapter before we meet the ghost and Pryce****. ****And h****ey look. ****Lance**** got his red gyarados way ahead of time. Nifty! Its late! So onto the team.**

* * *

**_**1- Zaela the King Garchomp (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Adamant**__

**_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, Double Team, Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, Rain Dance, Mud-Slap, Dual Chop, Slash, Dragon Claw, **_**__**Draco Meteor, Dragon Rush, Earthquake, **__**_**Stone Edge, **_**__**Crunch, **__**_**Fire Blast, Aerial Ace, Hyper Be**_**__**am**__

**_**Combination Moves: Furnace (Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit)**_**

**_**Pain Whirl (Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and Rock Slide with a helping of Mud-Slap. Confuse them in a tornado made of giant pain rocks)**_**

**_**Grinder- Earthquake and Earth Power to simultaneously disrupt movement and provide a sharp incline to speed up Dragon Rush and manually activate Stealth Rocks. Rock Slide to subtly hammer Stealth Rocks towards vital points. Very tiring.**_**

**_**Ella's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_**

**_**2- Query the Shiny Metagross**_**__** (Identifies Male)**__

__**Ability: Clear Body**__

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

**_**Moves: Iron Head, Iron Defense, Take Down, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Psych Up, Gravity, Ally Switch, Miracle Eye , Scary Face, Brick Break, Meteor Mash, Agility, Magnet Rise, Return, Reflect, Double Team, Light Screen, **_**__**Rock Smash, Hammer Arm. Pursuit, **__**_**Hammer Arm, **_**__**Toxic, Shadow Ball, Hyper **__**_**Beam, Focus Blast, **_****_**Flash, **_****_**Laser Focus, Telekinesis, Grass Knot, Giga Impact**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Psi-Fist - A method of psychic manipulation of an opponents gravity and self to make critical hits happen. A variety of punches/strikes with heavy but small piercing-like psychic stabs to balance points. **_****_**Grass Knot and Flash-distracted Laser Focus attacks added.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Two- Constant mind/emotion reading to adapt to attack patterns and psychological weaknesses. Low level confusion waves to occlude and disrupt senses and to influence terror or caution depending on level of threat as well as psychological profile. Can currently use two dedicated brains for state two. Three deemed too detrimental to combat ability.**_**

**_**3- Truthseeker(Tru) the Lucario (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Inner Focus, **_**__**Justified (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Serious**__

**_**Moves: Foresight, Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Detect, Cross Chop, Bite, Mind Reader, High Jump Kick, Agility, Vacuum Wave, Crunch, Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash, Copycat, Rock Smash, Force Palm, **_**__**Aura Sphere, Heal Pulse, **____**Protect, **____**Power-Up Punch, Me First, Calm Mind, **____**Extremespeed, Toxic, Focus Blast, Shadow Bal**__**_**l, **_**__**Thunderpunc**__**_**h**_****_**, Close Combat**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Heal Sphere- Aura Sphere made with heal pulse energy. Very aura intensive but serves as a long range critical heal.**_**

__**EMT- Bullet Punch, **____**Extremespeed or**____**M**____**e First(Depends on move) to target who is attacking ally. Counter if needed while second hand is using Heal Pulse. High Jump Kick away if Quick Attack is not fast enough. Looking into Substitute, Extremespeed and Quick Guard for increased effectiveness.**__

__**Reader: Calm Mind, Mind Reader, Detect to stay in someone's guard. Protect to be **____**used**____** later when unable to dodge.**__

__**Regen: Developed by Joy's lucario. Bounces small Heal Pulses onto a Protect screen to cause small amounts of healing over time. Somewhat draining even when perfected. Calm Mind increases efficiency.**__

**_**4- Sunshine(Sunny) the Sylveon (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Cute Charm, **__**_**Pixilate (Hidden)**_**

__**Nature: Quirky**__

__**Moves: Fake Tears, Tickle, Wish, Yawn, Stored Power, **____**Charm,**____** Tackle, Helping Hand, Baby-Doll Eyes, Fairy Wind, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Swift, Moonblast, Refresh, Draining Kiss, Light Screen, Misty Terrain, Skill Swap, Reflect, Safeguard, Round, **____**Shadow Ball, To**__**_**xic, **_****_**Dig, **_****_**Snore, **_****_**Hyper Voice, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Double Team**_**

__**Special Moves: Talk no jutsu. Seriously. Okay not seriously. Just couldn't resist the joke.**__

**_**5- Mars the Shiny Charizard**_**__** (Male)**__

**_**Ability: Blaze**_**

**_**Nature: Lonely**_**

__**Moves: **__**_**Ancient Power, Flare Blitz, Scratch, Ember, Dragon Dance, Air Cutter, Crunch, Bite, Beat Up, Dragon Rush, Dragon Pulse, Slash, Fire Fang, Dragon Rage, Flame Burst, Flamethrower, Metal Claw, Smokescreen, Wing Attack, **_****_**Fire Blast, Thunderpunch, Hyper Beam, Toxic, Focus Blas**_**__**t, **____**Dragon Tail, Dragon Breath, **____**Shadow Claw. Will o' Wisp, Ominous Wind, Fire Spin, **____**Dig, Earthquake**____**, Sunny Day. Draco Meteor (Currently only in Mega)**__

**_**Combination Moves(Self Taught): Dragon Blitz-High speed directed attack. A fully boosted by Dragon Dance Flare Blitz combined with a Dragon Rush that can be changed mid attack by using an enforced claw with Slash and Metal Claw to dig into nearby surfaces to a new direction. **_**__**Wing Attack and Air Cutter to achieve similar effects in air. Steel Wing desired. Double Team to be added for confusion once completely mastered. Possible Beat Up Clones when team exceeds six members.**__

**_**Smoke Boost- Dragon Dance while setting up favorable terrain with Ancient Power and hoping for more buffs while covered in a Smokescreen. Double Team and Beat Up to be added later.**_**

__**Firewall- Flame Bursts tossed up high and fed with a directional Air Cutter. Flamethrower added immediately after Flame Burst. Able to use without Blaze but cannot sustain it while moving without ability activation. Ancient Power to be added in slowly. Rock Slide an alternative if learnt.**__

**_**6- Aurora the **_****_**Aurorus**_**__**(Female)**__

**_**Abilities: Refrigerate, Snow Warning (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Modest**_**

**_**Moves: Powder Snow, Thunder Wave, Haze, Barrier, Mirror Coat, Sandstorm, Hail, Magnet Rise, Discharge, Rock Throw, Mist, Icy Wind, Ice Beam, Round, Ancient Power, Aurora Beam, Avalanche, **_****_**Thunderbolt, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Safe**_****_**guard, Freeze Dry, Light Screen. Encore, Nature Power, Blizzard, **_****_**Rain dance**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Storm Defense: Ability activation, Sandstorm and Barrier. Omni-Directional Discharge if any non-ground types enter the field.**_**

__**7- **____**Wattson(Thunderbug) the Ele**____**c**____**tivire**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Motor Drive**__

__**Nature: Jolly**__

__**Moves: **____**Thunder Shock, Cross Chop, Thunderbolt, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Focus Punch, Low Kick, Rolling Kick, Meditate, Dynamic Punch, Light Screen, Barrier, Thunderpunch, Discharge, Thunder, Shock Wave**____**, Focus Blast, Toxic, **____**Thunder Wave, **____**Dig, **____**Earthquake, **____**Electric Terrain**__

__**8- Joker**____** the Zoroark**____**(Male)**__

**_**Ability: Illusion**_**

**_**Nature: Serious (as fuck)**_**

**_Moves: _****_Fake Tears, Fury Swipes. Night Slash, Night Daze, Detect, U-Turn, Imprison, Pursuit, Hone Claws, Flamethrower, Scary Face, Feint Attack, Taunt, Foul Play, Torment, Double Team, Embargo, Punishment, Dark Pulse, Copycat, Sucker Punch, Shadow Ball, Bounce, Grass Knot, Psych Up, _****_Shadow Claw, Snarl, _****_Dig_**

**_**9- Angel**_**__** the **____**Gardevoir**____** (Female)**__

__**Ability: Trace, Synchronize, Telepathy (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Modest**__

__**Moves: **____**Teleport, Ally Switch, Trick Room, Dazzling Gleam, Healing Wish, Wish, Heal Pulse, Misty Terrain, Psychic, Confusion, Moonblast, Icy Wind, Mimic, Calm Mind, Captivate, Stored Power, Nightmare, Hypnosis, Dream Eater, Future Sight, Heal Bell, Echoed Voice, Hyper Voice, Hyper Beam, Shadow Sneak, Disable, Confuse Ray, Encore, Imprison, Skill Swap, Destiny Bond, **____**Light Screen, Reflect, Protect**__

__**10- Ghost Tass the ? (Male)**__

__**Not much known. Other than he's got stereotypical ghost ideas. In other words, can be an ass. Also possibly dangerous. But seriously. Ghost. Big duh. But actually isn't all bad! Gotcha! Uses suffering to heal in some way, somehow.**__

__**11- Water Maiden the ? (Female)**__

__**Tank of some variety. Prideful as fuck.**__

**_**12- Legend the ? (Female)**_**

_****Literally a legendary. Seriously. Its happening. Ella's ultimate goal for proof of her path to the world. Loses to Zaela a lot supposedly. For now. Possibly psychic or some mental ability.****_


	15. Ch 15- Adept and Tass

**Time for a ghost and an old guy. Probably going to be a bit of a heartache for Tass. By probably I mean absolutely. He's got the saddest story of all her mons imo. But it gets happier! Oh uh. He's got a pretty foul mouth too. So yeah. Warning! Really want to get into it so reviews first!**

**prisontaker- You get to find out soon! Water Maiden is next chapter. And yes. Ella and Ash meet the first time shortly after the time skip. Thanks for reading!**

**Alakrux- Jump Force looks flashy as hell. So I like it! Mars' display is the start of him growing up in a new way. Glad you liked it. Clair is going to do interesting things in the future. She may not end up as Gym Leader. Who knows? Thank you as always for your kind words.**

**zubhanwc3- A lot of the fight was dealing with them as dragons yes. Teaching them how hard of a put down Ella's team could bring. I agree that gyarados should fly! Maybe that'll be something to work on in the time skip. Glad you liked how she is struggling to see her family as the soldiers she needs them to be. Easy to think of them as powerful tools at her restart then meet them and well. Grow to love them. This was very much Lance's chapter. Clair's was setting up her path later. I definitely did neglect Steven. I had two important scenes I wanted to do with him but it was late and I flat out forgot to write them. They'll get put in this chapter. Absolutely will Ella keep trolling. She's from our world after all. Warm thanks for your review.**

**95remake- Sceptile was very, very close to being one of Ella's twelve. I just couldn't get Wattson out of my head. I've somewhat?vdecided that she'll be getting more pokémon after Ash's journey starts though so maybe we'll see some grass types! Decidueye, Turtwig and and classic Exeggutor are some of my faves too. More in bottom A/N about other mons. Thanks for reading my story!**

**frankieu- The Lake of Rage fight was in my head for so long. The point where Mars finally loses his temper. Appropriate place for it. Yay for Lance's shiny! Another plan from ages ago. Clair will get so much more interesting in time. Appreciate your comments!**

**Blaze2121- While Angel showed up strong as fudge she's not yet used to their fighting together. Lots of training to come at the return to Charicific Valley to deal with that. Mars does seem to do some amazing things in the moment. Hope you enjoy Tass and thanks for writing your thoughts!**

**Enormtpucko- OC isn't paired with anyone for certain yet but they aren't Clair or Lance I can confirm that. There are two choices going through my head. Steven was close but he just doesn't fit her enough. Rose Joy is one who we'll see next chapter and the second we haven't met yet. So take heart! Thanks for your review.**

**weather witch nami- I'm doing well for now! Said in a previous review response that I'm taking time off to relax but I just itch to get back to writing. A decade or so of this story in my head just screams at me to write it down. I'll pull back if needed. And likely slow a bit when the legendary is finally caught. I want that on 'paper' so bad. Thank you for your concern though. It is quite appreciated.**

**Mezzer 5.2- Thanks so much for your kindness. I've been super inspired so yeah. Can't stop writing!**

**To the story!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything of pokémon, just the ocs!**

* * *

Adept

I've forgotten a few things I did before the battle last entry Journal-kun. Mainly Steven. It was more or less Lance's day...Then Mars' so I might have forgotten a few conversations I had with him. One of which will never come to Clair's attention if I have my way of it. She might like Steven a bit more than she lets on. Sure, she's young, but quite mature about her feelings. Still. It made me uncomfortable so I had to talk to Steven. The more productive conversation first.

"Oy. Steven. I've got some things to talk to you about possibilities." My smile is broad and my voice overly friendly. I don't see it physically but aura-wise Steven is immediately on guard. Not in the hey this is gonna suck way but in oh no, someone I like is about to give me work and I won't know how to say no way. Wow. Both Lance and Steven are giving me so much delightful ways of teasing them later.

"Would this happen to do with the Order you are forming?" While I told the Stones a bit about what I wanted of my life I don't think they quite believed me, scary pokémon or not. They saw me as a talented trainer but once I told my cousins and Steven about all the work I've already put into starting everything up? Steven took me a lot more seriously.

"Congrats! You get a prize!" I peer about for Sunny and recognizing I'm about to cause him issues he shows just how smart he is by offering me things!

"Of course. However perhaps we can talk about what I can offer you? The last few things you've offered have led to great personal gain for myself after all." I'll say. That scizor or yours is amazing without the mega stone. With? Oh my. And he'd agreed to my trade of the lileep fossil and some other stones for my second gift for Lance the next day after we fought at the Lake.

"I know your beldum colony is sacred. I feel much the same about the Dragon's Den. Buuuuut. I can't help but notice you have an aggron." And bring it on home with the eyesmile. Steven still doesn't react to me attempting to mess with him and strokes his chin.

"You're not wrong. To both things. Hmm. I assume you want to give them the sort of talk that you're planning to give out here?" Amusement and a bit of incredulity are there now. I will admit my plan is ambitious.

"Such a smart boy! I owe you two prizes. Yes. In all seriousness though, do you think you could show me them? Not just Aron, but the higher evolutions. See? I can have mercy. Okay. Its a stay of execution until I have more to poke him about.

"Certainly. No reward is needed. I'm interested in how you communicate with pokémon quite a bit and I'd enjoy seeing how a troupe of steel times would be raised under the care of someone who can talk to them." Poor Steven. I won't be raising them. Bruno and other bad asses will be. There is something to be said about an aura user being present though. We make agreements to go see the colony he knows about after our respective leagues are done.

Argh! My head hurts. Fast forward to a much more private conversation. Its much later and I'm about to go talk to Lance about tomorrow a bit more. Not give up what I plan on having him fight alone but just talk and catch up. My current victim thinks he's gotten off light. But I never forget!

Steven sees me coming and I guess my expression is way different than the teasing it was before as he involuntarily looks for a pokéball.

"Now Steven. I know you're smart." We're camped pretty spaced out. Clair is off with Sunny and the rest of my group a bit away. Lance, Steven and Clair would be here together but my pokémon take up a lot of space. Zaela could probably sleep over their entire camp site alone.

"Since you are so smart you _had_ to have noticed my little Clairbear's crush on you" You'd think my calling Clair of her hated nickname would make Steven relax or even smile at it. Nope. Smartypants is rightfully scared of my sugar dripping tone. "Since you're young I can forgive you for not talking to her about it. Letting it run its course or what not. Or even that you're not sure what to do."

Steven is paling more and it makes my heart sing so much that Tru sends out a pulse of curiousness from her place over with our group. Angel just projects the feeling of someone being smacked by a person with an accent I recognize as Jamaican. Did I let her watch warcraft memories? The thought passes as I keep my focus on Stevieness.

"That said...If I find out you've ever at all played with her heart? I'll kill you. See this eye? Look into it and watch how many ways I could murder you for harming just a single part of her. I'm thinking of strangling you with one of the gyarados I'm going to destroy tomorrow. I'm not sure how I'd manage but I would for you Steven. You'd deserve it."

Do I think Steven would _ever_ do anything to harm Clair? No. Never. But I'm giving this speech to anyone she dates. I don't give a fuck who they are. Steven nods rapidly and shakily answers. Good boy. Properly respectful of the family Talk. "O-of course...Ella. I...Yes. Knew she...If you could blink once...Right nevermind. I of course would never do anything to harm her. I just...Am not interested in anything at this time. And...a bit uncomfortable with her age, even if she's very mature for it."

I let my expression of doom soak him in fear for a few moments more then snap back to my usual friendly self of mess with friends. "Well then we're fine! Whew! I really didn't want to have to find a intact tyrannitar fang for the next option of brutally making you never have children again. Glad to see you're still a stand up guy." Patting him on the shoulder I whistle happily and am on my way to talk with Lance one last time before bed.

Two days later and Steven is still quite wary of me. Good times.

In celebration of our respective victories Lance and I treat Clair and prissypants (Damnit Lance. Now I'm calling him that in my head) to some amazing food in Mahogany Town as well as some small gifts. Mostly just 'I survived the Lake of Rage' shirts that some enterprising soul was selling near the path to said lake.

The time is spent having fun and acting our age. Joking, teasing and roughhousing a bit in simple affection. Its a great joy to experience and I'm saddened that they have to leave so soon. Clair is the one who insists and her eyes have changed to something fiery.

"Ella. I love you, but you mess up my world view a lot. I've got so much to do now. Steven and Lance may be set upon their dreams but now I've got a new one. And you caused it." Her arms wrap around me in a tight hug and I kiss her lovely hair. She simply squeezes harder. "It sucks because there is so much pain I'm going to go through getting there. But it'll be worth it. For you. For myself."

I don't press the issue, mostly because her aura reads she's hard as nails convinced this is what she needs and because Lance smacks me on the shoulder like an asshole. I nearly stumble, so focused on Clair I am.

"Well cousin. Goodbye again. I'm kind of getting tired of our meetings being so dangerous. Zaela evolves into gabite and I get my ass kicked. You lose an eye and force Clair on me." Muffled protests and a kick to his butt follow. "Ow! You know I didn't mean it. Brat. And then you make me face someone Momma would respect so I could capture it. While you nearly get killed by six more monsters."

A deep sigh as he leans down (less than before! I'm growing again! Yay!) to hug me tightly in the way family does to let you know that everything is fine and they love you.

"I take it back. Can't wait to see the trouble you bring upon me again."

Steven moves up next and gives me a short bow as he takes my hand, kissing it politely. I'm never going to be a girly girl but the urge to give in and fuck with Lance and Steven that much more overtakes me. Steven is very handsome. Duh. And a part of me wants to giggle at the gesture he gives me even knowing its just his upbringing and it doesn't mean anything but respect. I let it.

Lance stares, horrified at my giggles.

Clair's eye gleams as she realizes what I'm doing and snaps her hand over her mouth to keep the laughter in.

Steven releases my hand like its an ekans about to bite him.

"So bold Mr. Stone! Oh my. I'll have to have my mom talk to your dad about a prenup! My chastity is in danger with this urge to ravish you! You'll teach me to be a good girl instead of follow my wicked ways won't you Ste-ven-chan?" There are no honorifics in this world. I'm purely seeking to fuck up his calm.

I succeed.

"..." Wow that boy can walk fast when he wants. Lance follows dumbly, unsure what to make of something more surprising than catching a shiny Elder.

"I love you Ella. Please never change. I'm going to be able to tease them for weeks!" Clair just gives me another hug and peck on the cheek then runs off, cackling. I wave happily to them and rock back on my heels. Oh yes. Delectable.

There is a lot of pleasure in messing with people. I recall this memory a lot with what happens in the next few days. And after Pryce's fight. Of my cousins and their friend who came all the way here to help me so readily.

My ghost arrives later that night and its rougher than all the previous stories from before. Even Angel's. She's not suffered. She was hurt, yes, but she adored her dream and how it made her strong. Wattson found out what it was to have a group with his original trainer and was mostly content with his life alone until we reminded him of what was possible.

Joker had a family of his own before he sought us.

I'm getting ahead of myself again. Just...My ghost personifies the type of suffering I fear worse than death. Get to him in a bit.

I was planning to take another few days to deal with monetary issues. Mars' idea for QueryVision (As his youtube clone would be called to keep the brand of Queryapp up) was gaining a lot of traction and needed a bit of annoying paperwork done. Some hours of that had me itching to walk around. All of this had to take place in a Pokémon Center for ease of access to a computer and my team had no desire to be stuck in small rooms.

Angel and Joker Illusioned as Tru kept me company and enjoyed watching TV, something they had never done before. Zaela pretty much dominates tvs now to watch more inspiration for her next terror spree. I enjoy hearing them make curious noises (curious emotions in Angel's case) and listen to Joker's one sided conversation about what's going on.

"_Looks like steel type. Transforms. Evolution? Transforms back. Not recognize type. What is Opti-Why different show now? They talk of cleaning supplies? Why? Bring back steel types."_

"_No Angel. I do not know why the steel types do not have pokéballs either. Perhaps hidden? Or transform too? More different shows. Last only minute at most. The food looked good. Tell aurora about this lady made of syrup and flat bread things?"_

"_Ah! Steel ones back. Combat. Excitement. Must see if I can Illusion myself into this red and blue one. Leader. Inspiring. Deep voice. Like. Yes, I think the flying one is very whiny too. If we meet, should scold as you show."_

I don't know where transformers came from in this world but oh my Arceus am I glad its here. I make a note to find the series on a recording to show Query someday. Once I can't stand it I save my work and send it off to the administrator that Professor Redwood recommended for the growing base in the Valley with a note that the rest would arrive by the end of the week. There is enough to get started so far.

Joker and Angel hop up after the credits roll and follow me, quietly chatting about how Megatron got what he deserved. Its about ten minutes later that Angel comes to a halt with a deep feeling of mourning and empathy. Joker pauses, sensing her distress as I turn to her, more than a little worried.

She shows me a map of the town she memorized at the Center and a dot that is a few street away from us. A pokémon signature that is in such horrible pain and guilt that she can barely stand it. She wants to help it immensely but her precognition is warning her to let me handle it. I get the uneasy feeling I'm about to meet number ten. Before she returns herself to dilute the agony that she feels coming from the pokémon she shows me more visions. Of the feeling of sickness all over the large building next to the dot. The map shows a small hospital.

I'm even more afraid of what I'm about to find and move on as Angel vanishes in a flash of light.

"_Guardian? Stay? Return? Protect? What do?"_ I consider for an instant then pat his shoulder, somewhat used to the fact that his voice comes form random members of my team by now.

"Stay nearby but out of sight. Ghosts can't detect you well. Its likely I'll be fine but just in case." My zoroark nods and shifts to his usual form and Feint Attack covers him at a low level. Its how he hid from me when we first met. Dark might be weak to fighting but the nature of the attack is always a bit of a surprise.

The walk is filled with worry after worry and thought after thought of horrible ideas of what could occur. Did I really think a ghost would have a good life? My aura has grown in leaps and bounds these days. Personal growth seems to be the key to my abilities. Training and kicking my ass into the ground are good, yes, but realizing what my sacrifices mean and accepting that they happen have made my aura explode with potential.

It makes sense. Only half of life is getting physically stronger. My gaze moves over a group of trees a bit away from the hospital and the ghost's aura shines right to me. He's hidden in the shadows of the trees in that manner ghosts are known for. Like Zaela in the earth, he can dip into the otherworld by way of shadows. At least enough to go unnoticed.

His attention is on me the moment I get closer and the air presses down as he tries to use some sort of ability to make me leave. Scary Face perhaps. Suppose I should list his stats. He's number ten for certain.

_Tasslehoff (Tass) the Mismagius (Male)_

_Ability: Levitate_

_Nature: Modest_

_Moves: Spite, Confuse Rate, Scary Face, Mean Look. Toxic, Will o' Wisp, Hex, Sucker Punch, Psybeam, Zap Cannon, Payback, Perish Song, Grudge, Pain Split, Power Gem, Astonish, Phantom Force, Mystical Fire, Magical Leaf, Lucky Chant, Torment, Thief, Trick Room, Dark Pulse, Curse, Torment, Memento_

Another pokémon with moves I didn't give them. I wouldn't be surprised to find this out.

The ghost just observes me more, his aura leaking malice and anger but not at me. Its almost all at himself. And a desire to wallow in his misery alone. I sense him starting to leave and speak up.

"I'll leave in a bit if you like, ghost, but I'd enjoy talking just a bit if you would give me the chance." I let aura flow from my body in the manner that lets him know just who I am. I get a response I've never gotten, even from the pissed of gyarados.

"_What? You think cause you're a guardian or some shit that I'm just going to come out and be friendly? Fuck you. Leave me alone. Die in a fire. Fuck off. What more do you want? I know you can understand me bitch. This is my tree. I would have left but now that I know you can understand me? Get. The. Fuck. Away."_

My eye widens just a bit and I seriously consider staying there to push but I just sigh and pull down my hair form its bun.

"Alright. I'll leave you to it. I'll be back tomorrow to see if you want to talk then. If you'd like."

"_Not fucking likely. I'm not an Arceus be damned cause for you. This is my home and I don't give a shit what you think is going to happen. Leave me be asshole."_

I give where I know he's hiding one last look and walk away with heavy emotion trying to drag me down. Angel pops out of her ball as soon as she senses the ghost can't feel her and Joker just appears out of the shadows like a wraith. Sneaky bastard.

Deep sorrow and concern flow from my Angel and Joker shifts into Wattson's form and pats me on the shoulder like my electivire does so often to cheer me up.

"I'm not giving up. I just need to be patient." Moving away from the town I head to a camping site I was eyeing for possible training for Pryce and release my family. They more or less know some of what happened from their time in their balls but I state it anyway.

"Number ten is here...And he's dreadfully in pain. Before you all offer." My eye focuses on Sunny about to speak. "Angel says that I have to deal with this alone. That her future sight says that's the best path forward." She backs that up by showing them what she showed me before I met the ghost.

"Since I'm going to be focusing on this I think you all should train for Pryce. Out of all the gym leaders besides mom he's the scariest. And the oldest. I want Aurora and Zaela working on resistance training. Figure out a counter to the ice Zaela. Work with Flamethrower. Sunny you'll be helping Mars with precise target practice. There's an idea we thought up that you can help with your moonblasts. Angel, I want you to be running constantly through all the training and using your telepathy to dodge everything. No more hyper beams to the face." I pause, letting the heart stopping memory of her falling from the sky fade.

"Query. You work on Earthquake and Wattson and Tru. You're both his target. I want him to work up to four separate targets with each of his brains and you both need resistance training. Boost constantly while fighting Wattson. Tru, spar with Wattson constantly at full boost while Query trains Earthquake. You're in the next fight most likely."

My team, rather silent for once just heads off to their respective assignments. Joker steps up to my side and tilts his head.

"_Duty for me? Protect Guardian? Odd statement. Guardian Protect me?"_

"Yeah. You're with me to do that but also observe. Follow him somewhat but only if you can hide." Joker, so often stoic and serious, just snickers at that. I follow after the moment. If there is one thing my zoroark is happy to do is to hide. Often my team will be annoyed with him simply appearing next to them without a sound. He never does it out of a want to scare them. Its just ingrained full into his habits. Long years of surviving in the wilds will do that.

The next day is a similar situation.

"_Oh look. The idiot fucking guardian is back to worry about little old me. Yay. Screw you girl. I know your kind. I've been alive since before your kind faded. Fade again."_

I simply sit for a while, struggling what to say but constantly pulsing out acceptance. It just seems to make him madder.

"_Oooooh. Magic waves of good vibes! I'm going to tell you my life's story and reveal allllll my pain. Yeah right. Piss on your good intentions. Leave. Now."_

I do as he asks and the next day is more or less a repeat. This continues for a week. Which I'm happy to say leads to some breakthroughs for Mars and Zaela. Not perfect for Zaela but Mars has it down. No surprise there. Zaela's counter strategy to ice is so fucking typical of her. I'm excited to see how Pryce reacts. I begin to despair a bit until Joker returns later that night with a bit of information.

"_Ghost not feed. From pain. Ghosts food emotions yes? Negative. This ghost just watch. Feed off own pain. Starving. Not even eat regular food. Can. Seen ghosts do so before. Always watching sick place. Always. But not in hunger. Guilt. Anger. At self."_

What the hell is going on? Armed with just a hint of knowledge I watch my pokémon train with determination. They know I'd be right there with them, coaching and helping if not for number ten. All of them could feel his anguish through Angel's brief look at his emotions and even Zaela couldn't fault me for trying to ease it.

The next day has the tiniest of progress.

"_Hey fuckboy. You look like a girl but that eye belongs on a boy. Is that you? Hmm? Acting like a little fuckboy? Yeah. Dirty dirty." _Sharp cackles shut off as I speak, his words nothing but pain to himself more than to me.

"So you're watching someone in there? Who? A friend? Trainer?" I'm no longer polite in trying to help him open up. I know what he is but he hasn't shown his form once yet. Just the voice spitting vile words.

"_...none of your business. I'm tired. Leave me alone."_

I leave just a bit lighter. For once he didn't drive me off with insults. This was almost...Worry? Any change is good.

The next night I'm a bit more excited. It must show somehow because he's particularly mean.

"_Oh ho. Little fuckboy is happier. Did you get yourself some tricks last night? Hmm? Got that edge satisfied? I might be a mean bastard but woooohooo are humans the kinkiest of species. The things I hear and seeee late at night. But I bet you know all about that fuckboy."_

Now I'm more or less amused. The daughter of Hannah Mita turning tricks? Hah! He's not pleased.

"_Oh fuck you. Probably no one wants your bony ass. What the fuck do you want here Guardian? Your kind doesn't take mine as partners. Fucking tell me!"_

"You aren't ready to hear it. I'm just here to learn right now. Find out a bit of you. Anything. Who is the person in the hospital?"

There is a long, long pause. I've spent hours here every night for the last week and a half, letting him spout foul things at me and not once have I shown offence.

"_Maybe the truth will get you to leave. See I'm not a project worth taking on. You haven't had that dark one roaming about try to catch me so I don't know what the fuck you want. Yeah, I'm old as fuck. I can tell when I'm being hunted. He should work on keeping his smell different for each mon he copies. They all have a hint of fox."_

Finally he emerges. A normal Mismagius is just under three feet. Showing his age he is probably indeed quite old as his body is about halfway towards four feet in height. As he floats his shifting, wispy body closer so I can see the dull look on his face. Of long suffering and tired hatred.

"_Fine Guardian. You win. And lose at the same time. Ages past I had an owner. Before pokéballs as they are now. It was good. I was caught young as a ghost. That's the best time to make us friendly and I loved her. More than you've loved in your entire pathetic life." _The ghost floats a bit away to look at the hospital.

"_She wanted a mate. One in particular. I couldn't deny her. I sung to the man and she became his. It wasn't hard. He found her appealing and all it took was nudges from me to bless them with joy. Years passed and he was called to war. He did not return. My owner was with child though and their son helped ease the ache in her soul."_

The ghost's aura spikes more and more now with that crushing pain Angel first felt.

"_When she died I comforted myself with a promise. To look after her line for her. That she'd always have me watching her children and their children. At first it was easy. I had such a personal connection with her son. Seeing him grow up and watching out for him. We found a dusk stone together when she passed and I grew stronger to look after his family."_

Mismagius turns to look at me fully now.

"_The children after that were harder. There was less of her in them. I still watched though. I loved her still. I love her now. Then something happened. Illness. My owner spoke of her siblings falling to the same sickness. Her son's eldest died coughing up blood and in despair."_

"_They fought back. Hoped for life...But now so many of my owner's descendants later, there is the last in there. At that building of suffering. Dying from the disease that took her whole world. I thank everything that she is dead. If she saw the early graves of her children's children? It would be far worse of a curse than I could ever give them"_

I can't even say anything. My eye focuses on the Mismagius as all his hate turns to such sadness that a tear flows down my cheek immediately.

"_I've failed her. I went everywhere. Fought to find a cure. Made bargains to kill enemies for people to help. Let myself be captured by trainers with healing pokémon to get them to try and figure out what was wrong. And in the meanwhile the family forgot who I was. Just another scary ghost. So many tried to fight me off. Make me leave."_

The ghost shifts, glancing up at the sky.

"_Now I'm here at the last. The last of hers. I want to die here. When he does. A little boy who doesn't know I exist but who I love absolutely. So Guardian. Got anything to offer me? Can you heal him as so many other of your kind have tried for his parents' parents' parents?"_

I just stay silent, my heart aching in agony that can't touch his own.

"_I thought not. Leave me alone."_

I do.

Pryce

Its so hard not to fall into depression or something destructive after Mismagius' story. I've grown to cursing myself and Fate and everything at my own stupidity. I'm not done with the ghost but I have to get away from the issue for a while. Do something else. Doing my best to fucking up Pryce sounds like a great plan.

The gym is cold as expected and held against a cliff face. I barely listen to the registration process and it takes Tru's paw on my shoulder to get my head back in the game. One good thing about how well trained my pokémon are is how they can function so easily without me. That's good today since I'm so well and truly out of it.

My lucario moves to me before the doors open and hugs me tightly.

"_I have faith in you Mistress. Live here in the moment and enjoy yourself. I know you like seeing us test ourselves. I am excited as well. I have not had a good fight in a while."_

That's the truth. Heh. Truth for Tru. Perhaps I need a break again, just for a few days.

The battlefield is predictably covered in frostbitten icy ground and a whipping cold air about it. I idly note the referee patiently waiting for me with a heavy coat and vest. Aura has let me ignore most weather but even I put on a jacket for this.

Pryce walks up his trainer booth across from me and he's just as intimidating as I expected. His aura is pure and perfect. Confident but also cautious. At no point do I detect arrogance. This is a man who was a gym leader when my mother was on her journey. I'd be a fool to think this would be anything but hard.

"Ella Mita. I've had much time to think on what I would offer you here. This is what I've come up with. Three one on one battles. The best of three fights is the winner. You will select your pokémon after I have revealed mine. If you have multiple mega evolutions it is allowed. Do you accept?"

Oh shit. I'm fucked. If he's offering this many weaknesses then he's very certain he'll win. What am I going to do though? Walk away?

"Of course. I look forward to learning from this."

"Admirable." Pryce nods slowly to the referee. I note that Pryce doesn't wear much other than a shirt and pants. His white hair matches the arena, giving him that much more of an other worldly motif. Geeze. No wonder people hate facing him.

"This will be three one on one battles between Ella Mita of Blackthorn and Gym Leader Pryce Taylor. No substitutions are allowed. Begin!"

Just as promised Pryce lets out an alolan sandslash. I pause. Mars is the obvious choice. Tru is too. They are both four times effective...But Zaela. She wants badly to fight here and its probably the best match up of any ghost type for her. Fuck it. Go big or go home. Always wanted to say that. Write it. Whatever.

Zaela emerges with her signature roar and Sandslash just whips up a hail that Zaela growls at while tossing up a sandstorm to try and overpower the weather effect. It fails as the air shimmers in an aurora veil. Zaela just moves into melee as icicle spears take pot shots at her.

As much as the sandstorm didn't affect the fails to stop the hail it still makes it harder to hit my starter. She ducks and dives as Sandslash calmly continues to pelt icicles at her, not looking at all concerned as they miss. That should have been our first clue.

Once Zaela's massive bulk is upon him Sandslash flees in a gyro ball that tinges with defense curl. Zaela shoves stone edges up into the way that Sandslash stops avoiding after the second one, his defense strong enough to simply smash through them at that point. Icicles spin from his form as he rolls about to force my sister to slow in pursuit.

Zaela is on a time limit and she knows it. She concentrates hard on pulling the earth from the ground and is shocked. Looking down she sees every missed icicle spear has been driven into the ground and Sandslash has constantly been using frost breath as he rolls to freeze the ground under the cracks his icicles created.

Her best weapon against the steel type is cut off from her. Immediately she uses her new trick which sadly gives her even less time to make something happen. Flame thrower bursts from her mouth and sets herself willingly on fire. The ground hisses and the hail evaporates as Zaela's fire has finally matched up to her charizard father's potential. My King has finally conquered her flame. I do note that Pryce's aura spikes with surprise. Yessss.

In a not so often shown strategy she uses scary face as she pursues the still rolling Sandslash and every footstep of my shockingly fast starter hisses with melting ice. Every icicle spear aimed at her is blocked with flamethrower and she starts pulling up her sandstorm harder to obscure vision. She can't keep it up long but its enough.

When the sandstorm fades, leaving the hail still, the stone edges she hid in it have boxed Sandslash in and have enough layers to them that he can't simply slam through without much slower effort. Instead he rolls up the nearest pillar of rock and curves around to use giga impact point blank into my starter's flamethrower after two ice beams, one from each claw, freeze Zaela's massive legs into place. The giga impact causes a massive explosion of cold air as my starter roars in agony, unable to roll with the blow with her form locked in place.

When the air clears I can't believe my eyes. My starter still stands, huffing in pain and Sandslash in her jaws in a massive crunch. She's wrecked beyond belief but flames trickle around Sandslash as he panics, slash after slash desperately trying to get him free.

Another explosion rocks the field as the fire blast hits them both. The price Zaela paid to nail him.

Both are down when the dust clears this time. Zaela still hasn't beaten Aurora in a fight since evolution. But this? This is progress. Even if it sucked to see her struggle. I recall her and Pryce does the same with a slow nod before releasing a Weavile.

Tru smiles and nods as I indicate her go ahead and I release Wattson.

"_Hell yeah! Go get 'em babe! Woo! Shot that old jerk who is the real deal! Yeah!"_

Wattson doesn't have a sign like she did but he does have pom poms that he and Sunny made for Tru's next gym battle. In a show of how far they have come together Tru doesn't feel like a blush but now firms her determination to win even more.

Weavile just chitters in amusement but its surprisingly not to make fun of it all. Without much warning they are off. Both pokémon focus on speed. Agility hits both and Tru dips into extremespeed often. The combat is so quick I have trouble seeing what his happening.

Slashes meet meteor mashes and ice shards are swatted out of the air by vacuum waves. Training with Wattson has helped immensely in Tru's reaction speed and the loss of her last match still burns in her to prove herself worthy to stand with the rest of the monsters on our team.

Weavile begins pelting Tru's legs with every other icicle to slow her down and it works well enough that Tru shifts into Reader, amping up her aura uses to extreme but she's used to this now. Weavile can't use dark moves for fear of powering up my lucario. Tru exploits this by using Power-Up Punch in her new ability to combine it with bullet punch.

They are just fast enough to connect and each one hurts more until Weavile grins and takes one head on and uses counter. Its one of Tru's favorite moves and she's not at all expecting this small creature to use it on her. Again in a gym battle she's tossed end over end towards the wall but controls herself and sticks the landing.

She's in pain but not out. Weavile is already moving along and tossing long ranged ice beams as Tru springs up and detects them, sidestepping in elegant ducks and dives until she's almost in range. Weavile who has more or less stayed in one place after the counter grins and the blizzard they were preparing sends off in a tight cone that would take Zaela out in one hit.

Tru shows off another new tactic as she still applies Reader. Two force palms blast to her left from her arms and redirect her faster than her feet can move out of the range of all but the very edge of the blizzard and she hits Me First when the focus blast Weavile was sending behind the blizzard activates.

The four times effective attack crushes Weavile to the floor and Tru tosses dual aura spheres at the Sharp Claw pokémon just to make sure. A moment later Weavile is recalled and Pryce just waves for Tru to leave the arena.

"_YES! YES! Great job baby! Daddy's gonna treat you out tonight! Anything you want! Yeah yeah! Tru's the best! Yeah yeah!" _Is Wattson singing Tru's name over and over in a sing-song cheer? Yes. Even Pryce's composed face and aura crack in utter confusion.

Its only moments later he recovers though and out comes his last pokémon. Abomasnow. No brainer here. Before I can send out Mars the glow of evolution lights up the arena. The ice makes it sparkle particularly beautifully in reflection as Mega Abomasnow stamps about, pumped for the fight.

I don't hesitate as I toss out Mars, him already shifting as well into Mega to match what we face. Hail again starts to flood the sky and he doesn't bother to attempt to stop it. Mega Abomasnow's ability would just cancel out his attempt. Flame bursts and Ancient Power toss out at the massive snow beast and hit glancing blows at best. Every ancient power are carefully formed into solidified boulders that more than one attack could break and start to box Mega Abomasnow in.

The Frosted Tree pokémon has not been idle. Ice beams tag Mars in impressive displays of aim and in Zaela-like fashion is whipping the area around him into an impenetrable terrain. Rock Tombs hurl out of the ice tornado Mega Abomasnow creates and Mars dodges while flaring up his body in a flare blitz to keep himself warm, still tossing out ancient power. The Rock Tombs seem poorly placed but do slow down Mars dragon dance.

Preparations are complete and Mars flies down hard, hitting the field with a massive, dragon rush enhanced, earthquake. Half the ancient powers hit at exact points as he trained for. The Earthquake cracks the ground at the precise points Mars desired to toss Abomasnow into the air towards him as he descends into a Dragon Blitz. The second half of the ancient powers rise and batter into Mega Abomasnow's back, making his speed towards my son's increasing form all the more advantageous.

Sadly its not to be. Pryce did his homework on my charizard. That he often comes up with combo moves that are out of sight of his opponent. A blizzard pointed down tosses Mega Abomasnow out of the path of the Dragon Blitz and his arm comes out in a Woodhammer that acts like a clothesline. Mars spins end over end, constantly crashing against rock tomb boulders that mimic his ancient powers. The missed rock tombs? They were put in the path of a likely attack. Three fourths of the way into the trap Mega Abomasnow set up I return my shiny black dragon as she shifts from green, out. Every rock tomb tied to hit Mars in the back of the skull. He got rattled too much too quickly.

Its the first loss Mars has suffered. I've lost. Ties do not go to the challenger. Not in this. I'm not shocked. Pryce is here for a reason but….I don't know. After the time spent trying to help my ghost? And then this?

A Glacier Badge is tossed on the counter in front of me as I stare at Mars' ball.

"There is no reason to deny you this. Your strategies were sound and from the first gym you faced this has all been a formality. You know what to do. I sought to teach you something though. Something you already started with that terrifying starter of yours. That you can turn your weaknesses into your strengths."

"Sandslash is not overly strong as a species. How did mine defeat your King? By robbing her of her main strength. By using its weakest attack to open up an avenue to destroy your strongest. Weavile used the delicate nature of their species to pull you into a counter. It didn't work but it is an effective strategy."

"And finally we counted on your charizard to think that Abomasnow's massive bulk could not be moved. When your charizard did move Abomasnow we turned your trick on you. Your greatest strength has been this since your gym run. Seek to use this even more. I look forward to your showing in the Conference. Do come back and show me that fossil ice type of yours sometime."

Pryce, cool (No pun intended) as hell, just gives me a nod and walks away to return Abomasnow and probably call someone to clean up the mess.

I walk out of the gym dazed. I've lost but also gained something. The key to helping Mismagius. It will take a bit of prep and abusing the presence of Angel and Tru again...But this could be it. Weakness into strength. Different angles...And a test to see if I can bring out my team's full potential after all.

Tree

"_I thought you had finally left. Do I have to attack you? Leave myself? Sometimes its just good to let things go. I want to die. My whole life trying to heal something as a ghost. Pathetic. Let me fade."_

My eye just softens and I nod. "Do you know that Aaron Royce is so far gone that they are willing to try anything? Even let a fledgling aura guardian, her gardevoir and lucario try to heal the boy? It took Pryce and my mother vouching for me to get permission. I think there is only one person on the planet who can save your Mistress' last remnant. Come. Give me the chance to help you find a key to your pain. If it fails? You get to die a few days earlier."

The ghost slides from the shadows, peering at me from under his hat-like head and feels my aura emanating calmly. Of sureness. There is the smallest glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"_Alright. Lead the way."_

"Practice first, then we go save him."

Hours later we find ourselves in the hospital. The ghost hides in my shadow and everyone gives way. A girl with an eyepatch, a scarred but lovely gardevoir and a fit looking lucario make for quite the sight.

The doctor who is hoping against hope for this to work greets me.

"Hello Ella. Thanks for trying. I know a few people here think this is...Wrong, but Aaron has so little time left anyway. Anything to try. Anything to help. "

"Thanks Doctor Bell. I've brought my partners who can help. Show us the way and do try not to freak out about my third partner. He's a tad scary but believe me when I say he wants this to work more than any of us here."

There is just a liiiitttle bit of doubt in his aura but I let mine spill out in a way I probably shouldn't do with humans. Its a tad bit unfair. Humans aren't as strong with life energy as pokémon are so are quite a bit more vulnerable to my emotions manipulating them. If the situation weren't so dire I wouldn't do this but...Well. Might save two lives today.

The room we come to is pretty pathetic. Not in its look. Its clean and sunny but the five year old boy in the room hooked up to machines that keep him barely alive is...Yeah. Bad. So awful. Angel moves up to fuss a bit, trying not to silently cry. This place is hard on her. Too much emotion and suffering. But she's still here to help.

Tru simply sets up what we need. Three chairs for Angel, Tru and I to sit upon and within range to touch the child.

We tried this somewhat with a herd animal we caught before coming. It worked a bit there with Mismagius' aid but its still so new. There is a much bigger knot of hope in the ghost though as he slips free of my shadow and floats over the boy.

Doctor Bell hisses in worry but Angel calms him with images of a bit of Mismagius' awful vigil over the last of his ancient family. Doctor Bell might cry a bit with my Angel as she relives it.

"_Right. Lets do this. If he lives...He has no where to-"_

"My mom said she'd find a place for him in the Clan if he survives. Momma, my starter's mother, said she'd be interested in another human hatchling actually. Heh. So he might become as strong as me."

Momma said she was done with hatchlings of her own but humans who interest her? That's another deal. Plus we don't live nearly as long. She has time for a few of us before she gets too old. Wait. Would that make him Zaela's little brother i-No. Thoughts on that after we save him. We will save him.

"_Hah! Save him to give him over to a dragon? I'd enjoy seeing him grow up tall...Fine Guardian. This is insane. Lets do it."_

Angel moves forward first. Ghosts exist from other worlds and take in pain and negative energy to feed. They can eat regular food just fine. But if they wish to evolve and gain stronger abilities they have to take in suffering and steal a victim's potential. Its not the actual death, its the possibility of more life and strength that they grasp. Their own suffering cannot do. Nor can they take their own potential. Its why they were mistaken as reapers of souls. In reality dying people suffer more and are the easiest potential to take. There is no restraint when gorging.

A ghost eats and someone dies if not rescued quick enough. A human that is. Luckily most ghosts find that trainers can get them a different, nearly as potent and less dangerous suffering. Pokémon battles cause a lot of pain. As well as the opposing pokémon's potential to get stronger in that battle. Its why everyone is so on edge around ghosts. They are literally sapping your ability to get stronger. Perhaps not as satisfying as all of someone's life but they aren't hunted down by vengeful relatives.

Angel moves in, constantly using Wish and Heal Pulse to raise Aaron's vitals. We're not sure how much strain this will put on the kid but its best to be safe. Tru joins hands with mine and we make sure one of us at least is leaning against the withered looking kid. Mismagius hovers around nervously as Tur and I for our gestalt of sorts. Finally we're ready.

"Go on. Act. We'll guide you."

Pokémon moves are not meant for humans for the most part. Even healing moves are somewhat dangerous as they use the power each pokémon has in them to heal faster. As pokémon have so much more life energy than humans its very, very dangerous for a human near death if a pokémon move is used to aid them. There is often no choice but people dying from their aura being used up too quick was not uncommon in the warring ages. Chansey eggs and similar effects are safer because they draw from the pokémon for energy. Wish as well pulls from ambient energy in the starts as clefairy do. Its why its not an instant heal. It needs a bit of time to gather energy.

Pain split is a bad idea to use on humans. Its meant to cause pain. Harm. Suffering that a ghost can feed on. Other species can use it but ghosts likely invented it. What we do is different. Refrigerate and Pixilate are very fun abilities because of the tactics they suggest. What we do here is bastardizing a version that makes pain split's normal typing into pure aura. It hurts like hell for Tru and I to force it through our gestalt. It took about twenty or so painful tries to get it down on the herd animal we used. And yeah, I feel awful about the pain we caused it but if we figured this out it could be something amazing.

I consider Mismagius part of my family already. I'm drawing on the hope to help heal his centuries of pain to wrap him up in my aura and guide him along the path to Aaron. Drawing it slowly along we feel it connect. The beeping of Aaron Royce's heart spikes then steadies. There appears to be no pain but he might be just too far gone. Mismagius takes this as hope and starts the attack in earnest.

Tru and I suffer through the crawly sensation as we have thirty or so more times after the first success. We did it until we could do it ten times in a row. Angel comes in now and Heal Bell pulses above Aaron. While meant to deal with status effects the ability is often used to find diseases for humans to treat. While it is likely Aaron has a genetic disorder that cannot be cured without miracles….Aura _is_ a miracle. And ghosts steal potential.

Angel directs us to the origin of the disorder and Mismagius finds its potential. In what can only be the otherworldly nature of his power and the bright star of life that is aura we strip the disorder's potential away as he gives of his ancient self to breathe life into the boy. He simultaneously gorges on the possibility of the disorder ever affecting Aaron again and uses that energy to put back into healing the ravages that have destroyed the kid's body.

It is hard, draining, painful and time consuming to make sure we don't overload Aaron's body with power but it works. By Arceus it works. Mismagius is a wisp of himself by the end of it, near death, but Angel heals him up immediately without any trouble. Aaron is changed. Healthy skin replaces the chalky white of before we started. Muscles that were barely able to function twitch as his brain realizes everything that was failing works once more.

Doctor Bell can't stop staring. I'm barely conscious as I lean against Tru who is not that much better. Its fatigue more than spent life force as Mismagius did. But we did it. The promise Suicune gave me is true. We did the impossible with aura. I'm never more grateful for my geeky, naive self who thought aura would just be 'neat' to have.

"_Guardian...What is your name?"_

"Ella..Mita. Of Blackthorn."

"_...I would offer you my aid. And effort to learn how to make this easier. So we can heal others. Bring them back from the brink. Please. Please."_

The stark, desperate hope in his voice lets another tear slip from my eye and as he pops into the premier ball I think of the last two. I don't mind as much anymore. If they have had hard lives. Oh I'll empathize and feel a bit of guilt but...We've created something amazing today. Today a ghost saved someone inches away from the death they are so known for creating. I think...I shall be taking a trip to Lavender town. Yes. More recruits.

It takes a few hours for us to leave the hospital. Doctor Bell is beside himself. Pleading to try this again with other patients is listened to and denied because of how exhausted we are. I do say we'll be trying to do this more and he jumps at the chance to help. What he saw there has changed him. I read his aura, smile at his conviction and my cause gains a doctor rabid to find a ghost to start researching how to streamline what we just did.

It isn't until a few days later that Tass gets his name. Introducing him to the group is interesting. He's much more calm now that he sees a purpose to his life after so many years of self-hatred.

At first he's muted and polite, simply watching our group and not socializing much. The introduction is pretty boring, with just him saying his species name as his name and declining any nicknames until something sticks.

Then he remembers he's a ghost. Not a dead mon walking. And the pranks begin.

Aurora's cooking pans get hung in trees tall enough only she and Zaela can reach them without psychic abilities.

Joker finds out that Mismagius can find him and the ghost spends two days hopping out of my zoroark's shadow at random points.

Angel gets zero pranks. He's so grateful to her that he treats her with utmost respect. Tru as well to start, though she inevitably scolds him and its on. Giant words with an arrow pointing in random directions say things like 'Tru and Wattson kissed here.' or 'Tru reads romance novels secretly' until she stops nagging him as he calls it.

Zaela gets exactly one prank set on her. I don't know what it was or how it happened. All I know is that when I ask him how he pranked her he just got a panicked look and hid in my shadow for the rest of the day muttering about teeth that go on for days.

Both Mars and Query treat it as a new game. Query doesn't understand the drawings painted on his silver-gold hide and Mars foils every single attempt at a prank before it reaches him. Shadow Claw is one of his favorite abilities and any manipulation of space around him is disrupted because of it.

Wattson found the pranks hilarious (he got his yellow fur colored pink for a day) so started helping Mismagius with a few of them with the caveat that Tru never know. I'm looking forward to when he remember she can probably sense his eventual guilt.

Its Sunny who inspires his name that sticks and its such sweet revenge.

"_Stop it! I don't like your stupid pranks! Mom! Make him stop before I start getting mad!"_ She's not calling me for my sake but for his. Sunny is throwing herself into training and Mismagius is definitely the weakest of us in a fair fight. But then again that's not the point of ghosts.

"You should be careful friend. Sunny may be very tolerant but if you put itching powder in her brush again _I'll_ get mad." I've also been exempt from the pranks though I'll likely join in for the fun of it after a time. Aaron didn't wake up before we left by the way. Mismagius was fine with it. The knowledge that his charge would live was all the satisfaction he needed.

"_Oh come on. It wasn't that bad. It only lasted a little while and soap and water get it out easy."_

"_No! Stop! I don't like it! We can just be friends and play if you want to have fun! Urgh! You're not at all like I hoped!"_

"_Well soooorrry. I am who I am. What did you expect? I'm a ghost. We're kind of mean at times."_

"_You should be like kender! Mom told me about them! They're curious, kind hearted and get into trouble but they never bring it on friends on purpose. But you're just being nasty and blah! So blah! To you!" _She trounces off then, not noticing that the gleam in my eye is dangerous at her words. I did tell them about kender from Dragonlance didn't I? There was one kender who stood out. A problem for his friends but with a heart of gold.

"Oh Mismagius! I've thought of the _perfect_ name for you."

"…_.I'm not going to like this am I?" _He sounds resigned to his fate. Well at least he's not a complete idiot.

"Welcome to the family Tasslehoff."

* * *

Tasslehoff

Alright. This has gone on long enough. You're fucking this up Ella. Query you shut the fuck up. If you want me to do this I'll say what needs to be said. More than anyone else.

You're fucking this up. We met and you dragged my sorry ass out of my sorrow and kicked me in the face with possibility until what? Now we have whole fucking teams of medics who have ghosts as partners. As long as someone has an inch of life there is a chance of saving them. Because turns out ghosts can be kinda fucking nice if given a chance of not having to murder someone to get stronger.

You did that. With me. And now your stupid ass is throwing away all of this. All the buttfucking heart ache to get here and you let two deaths stop your dream?

The rest might think its not that bad. They can't taste despair like I can. So don't you come back, read this and fucking lie to them. I won't have it. I'm not kind. I'll tell it like it is.

I love you. We all do you bitch. But you're doing this so alone when all you've ever done before these last few years is promote unity and team work. What. The. Fuck.

I'm so pissed at you. People die. I know it. Fuck do I know it. You get over it with the other things in your life. How about twelve pokémon who would happily create a world of corpses over losing you? Huh?! What about that Ella? Shit.

You get so fucking high on your horse, promoting the Guardians and about what they can do but when it comes to talking to someone and letting someone in you just walk it off. Except that's a lie. You haven't let it go. Its festering in you.

That's right. I know. I should fucking well know. I hated you at the start. So pompous and sure you could do the impossible. You made me a believer. I still am. But I'm so angry right now I wish I had hands to punch your fucking face in.

This is unacceptable. We're not even the start of the people who love you. Who would be utterly upset you aren't taking care of yourself. You want me to tell Cynthia about this? See what she does huh? I bet you'd fucking listen then.

FUCK! You better take this to heart. I swear. There are no threats I can give other than this. Fix this or I go back to the Valley and stay there. I can heal without you now you know. You can come crawling back after you get your head out of your ass. I love you Ella but you're such a little shit sometimes.

Grow a pair like I know you can. Put those big girl pants on and let someone help you. Without having to beat your head over with a club to get the idea in that stubborn skull of yours.

Arceus damn you. We only get this angry at people we care about. You said that to me. Hope you choke on those words.

Fuck.

* * *

**So yeah. That was Tass. Was he what you expected? I hope not. He's the easiest of all the mons for me to write tbh. He was a modest young lad but his personality warped over the years. For good reason.**

**The Pryce battle was a blast to imagine. And Ella finally lost. It wasn't super close either. He purposefully used pokémon he knew she had huge type advantages for to teach her a lesson. I think it inspired something great. Next chapter is a return to the Charicific Valley and her last non-legendary teammate. **

**I'd appreciate if anyone doing a review would give their opinion if she should catch more teammates after the legendary. Keep in mind they wouldn't likely have as much fleshed out story or richness as her main 12 but I'd do my best to brainstorm if people like it. They also wouldn't have as much impact to most major events I already have planned. Ella's team have lived in my head for years so its easy to write them. Just curious how much people want it. Anyway! Onto the team!**

* * *

**_**1- Zaela the King Garchomp (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Adamant**__

**_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, Double Team, Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, Rain Dance, Mud-Slap, Dual Chop, Slash, Dragon Claw, **_**__**Draco Meteor, Dragon Rush, Earthquake, **__**_**Stone Edge, **_**__**Crunch, **__**_**Fire Blast, Aerial Ace, Hyper Be**_**__**am**__

**_**Combination Moves: Furnace (Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit)**_**

**_**Pain Whirl (Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and Rock Slide with a helping of Mud-Slap. Confuse them in a tornado made of giant pain rocks)**_**

**_**Grinder- Earthquake and Earth Power to simultaneously disrupt movement and provide a sharp incline to speed up Dragon Rush and manually activate Stealth Rocks. Rock Slide to subtly hammer Stealth Rocks towards vital points. Very tiring.**_**

**_**Ella's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_**

**_**2- Query the Shiny Metagross**_**__** (Identifies Male)**__

__**Ability: Clear Body**__

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

**_**Moves: Iron Head, Iron Defense, Take Down, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Psych Up, Gravity, Ally Switch, Miracle Eye , Scary Face, Brick Break, Meteor Mash, Agility, Magnet Rise, Return, Reflect, Double Team, Light Screen, **_**__**Rock Smash, Hammer Arm. Pursuit, **__**_**Hammer Arm, **_**__**Toxic, Shadow Ball, Hyper **__**_**Beam, Focus Blast, **_****_**Flash, **_****_**Laser Focus, Telekinesis, Grass Knot, Giga Impact, **_****_**Earthquake**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Psi-Fist - A method of psychic manipulation of an opponents gravity and self to make critical hits happen. A variety of punches/strikes with heavy but small piercing-like psychic stabs to balance points. **_****_**Grass Knot and Flash-distracted Laser Focus attacks added.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Two- Constant mind/emotion reading to adapt to attack patterns and psychological weaknesses. Low level confusion waves to occlude and disrupt senses and to influence terror or caution depending on level of threat as well as psychological profile. Can currently use two dedicated brains for state two. Three deemed too detrimental to combat ability.**_**

**_**3- Truthseeker(Tru) the Lucario (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Inner Focus, **_**__**Justified (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Serious**__

**_**Moves: Foresight, Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Detect, Cross Chop, Bite, Mind Reader, High Jump Kick, Agility, Vacuum Wave, Crunch, Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash, Copycat, Rock Smash, Force Palm, **_**__**Aura Sphere, Heal Pulse, **____**Protect, **____**Power-Up Punch, Me First, Calm Mind, **____**Extremespeed, Toxic, Focus Blast, Shadow Bal**__**_**l, **_**__**Thunderpunc**__**_**h**_****_**, Close Combat**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Heal Sphere- Aura Sphere made with heal pulse energy. Very aura intensive but serves as a long range critical heal.**_**

__**EMT- Bullet Punch, **____**Extremespeed or**____**M**____**e First(Depends on move) to target who is attacking ally. Counter if needed while second hand is using Heal Pulse. High Jump Kick away if Quick Attack is not fast enough. Looking into Substitute, Extremespeed and Quick Guard for increased effectiveness.**__

__**Reader: Calm Mind, Mind Reader, Detect to stay in someone's guard. Protect to be **____**used**____** later when unable to dodge.**__

__**Regen: Developed by Joy's lucario. Bounces small Heal Pulses onto a Protect screen to cause small amounts of healing over time. Somewhat draining even when perfected. Calm Mind increases efficiency.**__

**_**4- Sunshine(Sunny) the Sylveon (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Cute Charm, **__**_**Pixilate (Hidden)**_**

__**Nature: Quirky**__

__**Moves: Fake Tears, Tickle, Wish, Yawn, Stored Power, **____**Charm,**____** Tackle, Helping Hand, Baby-Doll Eyes, Fairy Wind, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Swift, Moonblast, Refresh, Draining Kiss, Light Screen, Misty Terrain, Skill Swap, Reflect, Safeguard, Round, **____**Shadow Ball, To**__**_**xic, **_****_**Dig, **_****_**Snore, **_****_**Hyper Voice, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Double Team**_**

__**Special Moves: Talk no jutsu. Seriously. Okay not seriously. Just couldn't resist the joke.**__

**_**5- Mars the Shiny Charizard**_**__** (Male)**__

**_**Ability: Blaze**_**

**_**Nature: Lonely**_**

__**Moves: **__**_**Ancient Power, Flare Blitz, Scratch, Ember, Dragon Dance, Air Cutter, Crunch, Bite, Beat Up, Dragon Rush, Dragon Pulse, Slash, Fire Fang, Dragon Rage, Flame Burst, Flamethrower, Metal Claw, Smokescreen, Wing Attack, **_****_**Fire Blast, Thunderpunch, Hyper Beam, Toxic, Focus Blas**_**__**t, **____**Dragon Tail, Dragon Breath, **____**Shadow Claw. Will o' Wisp, Ominous Wind, Fire Spin, **____**Dig, Earthquake**____**, Sunny Day. Draco Meteor (Currently only in Mega)**__

**_**Combination Moves(Self Taught): Dragon Blitz-High speed directed attack. A fully boosted by Dragon Dance Flare Blitz combined with a Dragon Rush that can be changed mid attack by using an enforced claw with Slash and Metal Claw to dig into nearby surfaces to a new direction. **_**__**Wing Attack and Air Cutter to achieve similar effects in air. Steel Wing desired. Double Team to be added for confusion once completely mastered. Possible Beat Up Clones when team exceeds six members.**__

**_**Smoke Boost- Dragon Dance while setting up favorable terrain with Ancient Power and hoping for more buffs while covered in a Smokescreen. Double Team and Beat Up to be added later.**_**

__**Firewall- Flame Bursts tossed up high and fed with a directional Air Cutter. Flamethrower added immediately after Flame Burst. Able to use without Blaze but cannot sustain it while moving without ability activation. Ancient Power to be added in slowly. Rock Slide an alternative if learnt.**__

**_**6- Aurora the **_****_**Aurorus**_**__**(Female)**__

**_**Abilities: Refrigerate, Snow Warning (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Modest**_**

**_**Moves: Powder Snow, Thunder Wave, Haze, Barrier, Mirror Coat, Sandstorm, Hail, Magnet Rise, Discharge, Rock Throw, Mist, Icy Wind, Ice Beam, Round, Ancient Power, Aurora Beam, Avalanche, **_****_**Thunderbolt, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Safe**_****_**guard, Freeze Dry, Light Screen. Encore, Nature Power, Blizzard, **_****_**Rain dance**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Storm Defense: Ability activation, Sandstorm and Barrier. Omni-Directional Discharge if any non-ground types enter the field.**_**

__**7- **____**Wattson(Thunderbug) the Ele**____**c**____**tivire**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Motor Drive**__

__**Nature: Jolly**__

__**Moves: **____**Thunder Shock, Cross Chop, Thunderbolt, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Focus Punch, Low Kick, Rolling Kick, Meditate, Dynamic Punch, Light Screen, Barrier, Thunderpunch, Discharge, Thunder, Shock Wave**____**, Focus Blast, Toxic, **____**Thunder Wave, **____**Dig, **____**Earthquake, **____**Electric Terrain**__

__**8- Joker**____** the Zoroark**____**(Male)**__

**_**Ability: Illusion**_**

**_**Nature: Serious (as fuck)**_**

**_Moves: _****_Fake Tears, Fury Swipes. Night Slash, Night Daze, Detect, U-Turn, Imprison, Pursuit, Hone Claws, Flamethrower, Scary Face, Feint Attack, Taunt, Foul Play, Torment, Double Team, Embargo, Punishment, Dark Pulse, Copycat, Sucker Punch, Shadow Ball, Bounce, Grass Knot, Psych Up, _****_Shadow Claw, Snarl, _****_Dig_**

**_**9- Angel**_**__** the **____**Gardevoir**____** (Female)**__

__**Ability: Trace, Synchronize, Telepathy (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Modest**__

__**Moves: **____**Teleport, Ally Switch, Trick Room, Dazzling Gleam, Healing Wish, Wish, Heal Pulse, Misty Terrain, Psychic, Confusion, Moonblast, Icy Wind, Mimic, Calm Mind, Captivate, Stored Power, Nightmare, Hypnosis, Dream Eater, Future Sight, Heal Bell, Echoed Voice, Hyper Voice, Hyper Beam, Shadow Sneak, Disable, Confuse Ray, Encore, Imprison, Skill Swap, Destiny Bond, **____**Light Screen, Reflect, Protect**__

__**10- **____**Tasslehoff the Mismagius**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Levitate**__

__**Nature: Modest**__

__**Moves: **____**Spite, Confuse Rate, Scary Face, Mean Look. Toxic, Will o' Wisp, Hex, **____**Sucker Punch, Psybeam, Zap Cannon, Payback, Perish Song, Grudge, Pain Split, Power Gem, Astonish, Phantom Force, Mystical Fire, Magical Leaf, Lucky Chant, Torment, Thief, Trick Room, Dark Pulse, Curse, Torment, Memento**__

__**11- Water Maiden the ? (Female)**__

__**Tank of some variety. Prideful as fuck.**__

**_**12- Legend the ? (Female)**_**

****Literally a legendary. Seriously. Its happening. Ella's ultimate goal for proof of her path to the world. Loses to Zaela a lot supposedly. For now. Possibly psychic or some mental ability.****


	16. Ch 16- Adept and Brightscales

**Look at bottom a/n for notes about my delay compared to previous chapters. So! We get to see a bit more of Bruno, Liza and Rose and what's been going on in the Charicific Valley. I'm excited to start. Reviews first!**

**Helixical- I'm sorry that it offended you. It was more trolling Steven than anything else. I get why you would say that though. For me? Such things are funny. For others they are not. Clair's adversity is built around the world and not Steven. So to me it was harmless humor and a bit of Ella's vicious nature. Blame Zaela. That it wasn't to you? My apologies. Regardless, thanks a ton for reading.**

**Zeru'Xil- Thanks! Still inspired so still writing! And if I were a robot I'd never tell. I'd live a tragically normal life to aspire to be more human. Or something. Much thanks for reading.**

**MaydayM10- I'm still not completely sold on more mons but that is a good idea! I've had some interesting pms with ideas for pokémon for the order. I'll credit them if I use a suggestion. But yeah, specialized units and tactics is Ella's philosophy to a T for fighting against Bad Stuff. This story has a long way to go before I consider another project. But thanks for the vote of confidence! Much warm fuzzies. Thanks.**

**Alakrux- Tass is interesting and I'm going to enjoy writing his fighting style when he gets to shine. Pryce was always going to bring her down a bit. Poor Mars' head. Lots of training, personal relations and the Water Maiden this chapter. Hope you enjoy! Thanks for reviewing.**

**zubhanwc3- Pming your response for length and possible spoilers. Great response as always.**

**prisontaker- If I do add more pokémon it won't be for a while! And you find out who she is this chapter. Its not any big surprise. Writing less going forward unless I get a super big inspirational muse session like the start of this story has been. I need more breaks! Thanks for reading.**

**frankieu- Had such mixed reviews for the shovel talk. It was just a gag for me but! Glad you liked it. And yeah. Ella is mostly a healer for now. Tass is gonna take some getting used to. Thanks for reading.**

**Blaze2121- Still not sure when/if she's getting more but got a few ideas for what will happen if I decide yes. So far its up in the air! Good choices though. Thanks for reading! **

**Enormtpucko- Pretty much the same concerns I have. We'll see though. Will be after Ash sets out on his journey if she does get more, likely. So still nine and change years left. Thanks for reading!**

**R37uy- Time skip will be right after the league. Pretty much almost immediately after the closing ceremony. Then five years and yeah. Back to the story. I've got work that keeps me stupid busy at times so its a combination of how tired I am, when I get in the mindset to write and if I make sure to take time for myself. So no real schedule but trying to get this idea out of my head as much as I can without burning out. Thanks for reading!**

**Lezaroth- Thank you for the words! I'm still deciding on more teammates. Won't be until after Ash starts his journey if she does get more. Glad you've enjoyed reading!**

**Creus- When you get here thanks for all your kind words! **

**Helpfulnudge- Tass isn't exactly a nice person. Sorta. Some of your concern will be alleviated when they go back to the Den later and see the kid so don't wanna spoil it. But I do agree it was a biiiit quick. I'm still learning to write. Thanks for reading! Appreciate it a lot.**

**Blackwind 34- Aww. Appreciate that so much. This story means a lot to me. Lotsa thanks.**

**Deus Aut Bestia- Thanks a bunch for your kind words! And yep. Not Steve. I'm going to keep writing this as much as I can with work and inspiration going. We won't get confirmation on the other pairing until after the time skip! Thanks for the review.**

**Onto the story!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything of pokémon. Just my ocs.**

* * *

Adept

Outside Mahogany

Taking a bit of time to unwind was needed. Tasslehoff came with his own set of issues and a lot of it would take time to mend. Really, for how old the ghost was I couldn't imagine I would dent his problems for years. What we could do was to simply enjoy being done with another major hurdle as well as getting to know some of the gyarados. It sounds exciting, knowing the species usual attitude, but really they are just pokémon the same as my team are. It led to a few mock battles and some worrying looks from tourists (seriously why would you think visiting the Lake of Rage for a holiday is a good idea?) but ultimately it led to a lot of preparation for their future partners down the road.

I haven't gone too much into the organization I've got planned for how the Order will develop. Or even what its actual name will be. There is a reason. And its lame. I'm not smart enough to decide myself. Yeah. There are a lot of decisions I know I'm not fully able to commit on past recruitment. That's not why people are following me though. Most of who I have hired are getting a bit of the idea behind it with the charizard partners that I've been getting reports on or say, getting to see what a potential aura guardian is really about. Its hope, curiosity and quite a bit of money for now. That'll change once we start actually doing things and for when I win the league.

You bet I'm going to win. I only plan to do one. Just a single league. At least that's the current plan. Only my team knows what I'm going to do at the end of this first journey. Maybe in the future if they insist enough we'll go through a second challenge. My family has a lot of influence over me after all. I'm getting all introspective about this. Forget it. Time to move on to more interesting things than plans that could change tomorrow. Mars tends to shift my ideas a lot after all.

Just a few more days here and then off to Charicific Valley for training and more training. Time to get ready for the hardest fight I can imagine. Mother may not have any single pokémon that can take on Momma solo but all of hers are...Yeah. I'm gulping here journal-kun. I've got a lot of half-formed tactics against what I know of her style. The thing is, she flat out told me that she'd be training from the moment I left to take me down. She might not know my full team but I can't imagine all the gym leaders didn't forward our fights to her.

So I'm a bit afraid. Terrified. And utterly excited.

Damnit. So much to do. Right. Wattson and Zaela are laughing like we're still out at sea. Gonna go make sure we don't cause another Rage. Will write when we get to the Valley. Shit. Home Base? Aura Command 1? Well. Hopefully I get impressive names soon.

Foundry

So I should have known putting all those people there would have birthed its own name. Its super appropriate and its owed to Liza's riolu for the name. Foundry. Where heroes come to be forged. His words and wow do I like them. A bit over the top but that's what I came here to do. To be a big fucking hero or die trying. Hearing it said like that by my own hand makes me feel as if I'm chasing the dream of it again. Fuck it. I'm still committed to doing it. The arrival here was pretty amusing. At my own expense no less.

I can't even say how much I adore the ability to teleport anywhere now. Flying will still be my favorite but I know how utterly ragged I'll be run once this all gets headway. The meetings will be atrocious by themselves but to be a global power? Teleport is amazing. Angel hadn't been in the Valley proper so she blinked us just outside of where she peered at my team and I while following us. I didn't mind as I really wanted to make a statement. So much of what I have planned relies on being larger than life. Might as well start here.

"Thanks darling Angel. Zaela and I will take it from here. I'll let you and the rest out when we're settled." A series of pleased emotions flowed over me as well as an image of a Nurse Joy slowly shrinking. That threw me for a bit until I realized Sunny probably told Angel of all the people we'll see here. Small Joy. Hah! "Yeah. Rose will be here. You'll get to see her Center. Its new and should have a lot you can study."

Angel has made it a point now that she can travel in cities/towns without fearing capture to visit each and every Joy to learn as much as she can about treatment of pokémon. Not just the emergency sort of healing that Tru and Sunny specialize in but long term aid. Tass has been just as fascinated but prefers hiding in Angel's shadow in such trips as opposed to actually showing himself. Long years of isolation have made him the most wary of strangers among all of my family.

Returning the gardevoir I pause and take in what I've already done. Not even done with my first league and I've gotten so much power to my cause. The pokémon are a big part of it, yes, but infrastructure is something I've always wanted to focus on. A single base for now. Nothing truly impressive compared to what a government can do but the start is bright. So hopeful.

Shaking off the thoughts I let Zaela out. She's about to roar and rampage but then blinks about with a heavy yawn. Aww. Cute. She was asleep.

"_Oh. We're back here. Hrm. Whatcha got me up for sis? Ride in and all that?"_

"Somewhat. Had a silly moment of reflection. Just wanted to be next to you for a bit before we have to be leaders." Having such a big family is great. Wonderful. But a part of me will always remember that first year with just my starter. Of how special our bond began. Leaning against her, ignoring how her skin bites into my bare arm, I let myself close my eyes and take in her scent. Rich earth and power. Dragons smell like power. Lightning about to strike. The first spark to begin a bonfire. The taste of the air before rain.

"_We have come a long way haven't we? Shit. You're infecting me. Human things!" _Snickering at her way of bringing me back to attention has me ignoring the want to simply slack off. Some of my old self is around it seems. The desire to let someone else step forward and cause change. Naw. I'm Ella Mita now. And she has great ambition.

Moments later Zaela and I fly into the Valley and to where I've heard my soon to be base is being constructed. Zaela dances in the air compared to when she started and lets us take a long, slow look around the cluster of buildings that are the start of my Order. The Pokémon Center is the largest building easily. Its heavily built as per my instructions. Thick stone walls around a massive building for a usual Center. Considering my initial plans called for charizard, gyarados and aggron as usual Order task forces? Yeah, I wanted Rose to have a big place to work with.

Its made to last and to take a lot of damage. The harsh reality is that while I'm going to do my best to keep this place a secret until we have a lot more presence around the world, its very likely that we'll come under attack at some point. It might not be here but definitely when we are sticking our noses in where they don't belong. Especially once we start killing people. Oh yes. Team Assholes are gonna die. Lives will be spared if able but given a choice between my Order's lives? And those of people who steal and murder for a living? Of course I'm going to encourage lethal force.

The next few buildings are mostly areas for quick exits from the underground hive we're building into the Valley walls. The Center has to be up top to receive signals for emergency pokéball recalls and transfers. There will eventually be an option for the entire Center to descend underground but we need more ground types for that. A few other buildings are still being constructed by many of the people I've hired and quite a few charizard partners as well as whatever pokémon they might have already had.

I haven't been noticed just yet save for some of the Valley's usual population. Fire lizards start announcing challenges after a bit of time and Zaela finally gets fed up with it. The echoing, angry roar of my King shuts them the fuck up and gives us time to view what is the first step of my dream.

"_Good job sis. I'm simple. A good fight. Harsh training and decent food. And I suppose seeing you happy. So great job. This makes you very happy."_ She's only saying what she feels in my heart right now. The bond between us hums with my shared contentment as she carries me down.

Rose, Bruno and Liza are already there, the two girls waving up at me with wide grins and Bruno just being Bruno behind them. The massive Onix wrestling with two charizard in a large cleared out area must be his. As we land I can see the rest of his team instructing more of the charizard partners in physical moves and weight training. Considering that I want them to carry troops into battle? Yeah, I am very, very glad I've stolen from Lance.

Rose is wearing practical clothing much as the rest, even Bruno. Is he wearing shoes? Whoa. Never thought I'd see the day. Liza can't contain herself and launches her body at mine the moment my feet hit ground.

"You're back! There is so much to show you! Thank you so much for Knight. He's a bit odd but I can't imagine life without him and Charla." The beaming face over my now prone body is lit up with happiness. She's thriving with this goal in her life. Every bit of her aura explodes with excitement and wonder.

"I'm glad...Mind letting me up?" Ahhh. There's the deep blush. As we stand I'm smacked on the arm lightly as Rose grins at me with a slow wink that has me sighing. A few years. Then I'll see what that wink might mean. "Hey Rose. I hear you're the leader of this place now?"

My grin has her just shaking her head. A few of the people here that came from Professor Oak's recommendations have kept me up to date with how things have been. Rose is talked of with admiration and a bit of fear.

"Someone had to do it. Straightfoot wasn't going to do it." Her thumb jerks back over her shoulder at Bruno and I mouth her nickname to him. His response is the most emotion I've seen him physically show. A slight sigh and the ever so tiniest roll of his eyes. Wow.

"Nurse Joy has taught me new things. I am grateful. Tomorrow I would like to show you some of what I have started." With that he turns around and simply heads back to his team. Huh. Onix is fighting two new charizard already. I'm happy they are so active. Still, I raise an eyebrow at Rose.

"What? You've met him. Small talk for him is no talk. Come on. Lets get you settled in. I've got to meet your team too. " There is a deep sense of satisfaction from her as she wipes some of her pink hair away from her eyes. Both her and Liza feel like this is all they could have hoped for. I'm more than a little humbled by it all. When I sought change I didn't think of what the impact would feel like through aura.

The walk to her Center takes a bit of time as she points out what is being planned. There are designs for greenhouses to be made underground as well as anything a small town could want. Some of the few employees of mine that I've met in person give me nods and feel of satisfaction at what they have accomplished. That I more or less let them do whatever they wanted for their personal dwellings underground meant a lot for morale. Nothing huge but each of the rooms I'm shown once I eventually get down there are quite different from each other. Some of the members of the Foundry have a fair amount of ground/rock types that they have offered to help the construction in a barter system.

Those with flying types or who already have charizard partners have helped some of the digging groups get paired up with the gyarados already streaming in. Once I'd told Rose of my plans to get Aggron and Gyarados as other members of my growing order she immediately put Bruno on task to get a bay underground linked to the Foundry.

"Everything is coming together well. I've had to be a bit firm but this has been a joy. Hah! No pun intended." Rose's eyes glitter at me as Liza pushes open the doors to the Center. They would usually be automatic but the defensive nature of my plans make the heavy steel doors appropriate. Probably going to spend a lot of money on air conditioning because of this. "You said you were going to bring my partner along if you were impressed? So. Do you have them?"

Alright alright. I could feel your excitement overflowing from a city away. "Well, is your receiver up and running?" Rose's smile bursts out, blinding all of us and she grabs my hand to tug me around the wide counter where she would normally be posted and just pushes me at the video phone.

"Geeze. Alright alright." A moment later Joy and Becca greet me with twin smiles and Joy's lucario holds up a pokéball with a solemn expression. I don't want to make Rose wait any longer so I just give them a quick promise to call back later as well as to make sure Rose checks in once they are introduced. A swift transfer later and Rose is staring at the ball in her hands, trembling just a little.

"Did you just get me the child of the Joy of your home?" Her voice is hushed and filled with that awe I know so well. Of your first. Your starter.

"Of course. I asked ages ago if Joy's lucario would let me choose one of her children to aid whichever Joy came to my Guardians." Liza just snickers a bit and nudges Rose with her shoulder and releases who I assume is 'Knight'. The riolu immediately starts talking.

"_Is this the one?! The Princess' Chosen! I am unworthy! Please! If you require anything, I would be hono-" _I'd probably be still staring at his words if Tru hadn't immediately released herself and started tugging him away to words of _'Princess! I am even more unworthy!' _and _'Of course I must call you Princess! There is no other choice!'_ What the hell just happened?

Rose is of course ignoring this as she releases her riolu, though Liza just snaps her hand over her face and walks after Tru and her own riolu muttering something I'm not sure I want to hear. Something to figure out later.

"_Hello Rose Joy. It is a pleasure to meet you. My mother has taught me much to help others. If it would please you, I would enjoy finding out more of yourself."_ The voice is male and he's well built, this boy. He can even talk already with aura. I'm not that surprised. Joy's lucario was quite fluent before we even started with Tru. Rose just leans down to hug riolu who appears flabbergasted as to what to do other than pat her back. _"Uhm. Hi? Right. There there?"_

Oh. Rose is crying. Well, I suppose she did just meet her starter. "Of course I'd love to talk more with you...Sorry, Ella...But-"

"Say no more. I understand completely. I'll go find Liza to give me the tour further. See you tomorrow after Bruno shows me whatever he wants to do?" Rose just gives a bit of a scary smile at that but nods and stands, wiping her eyes without any sort of embarrassment.

"Lovely. Come Riolu. Do you want a nickname? Call me Rose. None of that Mistress BS that Knight gives Liza?" She walks off, explaining about the other resident riolu and more about what their current duties are. Her new starter is utterly entranced, likely because of the strong, giving nature that Rose's aura pulses with her every heart beat. Already I can see how well they will pair with each other.

I don't immediately go after Liza as its nice to simply be alone for a moment. There is so much pressure to this all. Everything depends on this year. To make or break my opportunity. I know it can succeed. Not many people can look at a goal and know they have a good chance at it because literally Destiny decreed it.

My feet take me to Tru's signature and to Liza laughing behind her hand next to a charmelon that must be Charla. Plans to be had there later today if I have time. Tru is dictating things to Knight who is on his knees as a samurai would be to their Lord.

"_Even if my parents lead the Kingdom I am simply another soldier of Aura. You insult me by deferring to me because of my birth. Get to know me and view me for how I am. If you find myself admirable after that then you may speak with respect that has been earned. Do you understand Knight? Or must I put you through light training?" _Wow. She's really mastered that way of saying 'don't fuck with me' politely.

"Don't worry Liza. Light training won't break him that much." Seriously have to make sure Tru is not going to go for our light training. Plus Knight looks more like a brawler than the precise counter fighter that Truthseeker is. Liza just snickers and shakes her head.

"Even if it were torturous I'm betting Knight would be fine."

"_I am sorry! I shall judge you faithfully as you direct Pr-Mist-T...Truthseeker!" _Well. At least he tried. It still sounds like he's saying 'princess' by the tone but what can you do? Tru just sighs and looks to Liza.

"_Mistress Liza. Forgive me. Would you mind if I took your charge under my wing while we are here? Perhaps with Joy's riolu as well? Actually, since I believe Mistress will be busy with other things I could help train you as well. Mistress Ella and I spent many years now training together and I can only imagine it will be much easier with you as we learned much from mistakes."_

I hadn't even considered that! Liza hops up and down and looks at me for permission. Right. I'm the leader. Shit. "Of course. Don't look at me like that. I'm not quite the big boss yet." I'm mostly joking to deflect the idea. Dealing with my pokémon is a bit different. They all seek to train just as hard as myself. People are...harder. They tend to find shortcuts or easier ways compared to pokémon.

"Oh! But what about your tour?" I grin at that and wave towards Charla who already has that bow she's so famous for.

"If I could borrow Charla? After she shows me around I could let my starter and Mars show her a few things." And perhaps get her to evolve really quick. Or within a few days with how working with stronger of the same species tends to happen here.

"_Oh! Of course. I forgot you can talk to me. We haven't met before but I guess Liza has talked of me in calls?" _Charla's voice is surprisingly shy but has quite a bit of warmth in it as she speaks of her trainer. Damnit. I never get tired of hearing that deep feeling of loyalty so many pokémon have for their trainers.

"Sure! If Charla doesn't mind. " Liza is grinning just a bit as she rubs a spot on Charla's neck I know tends to be rather sore from movement. The resulting purring growl makes me smile. Charla just waves off her trainer and starts heading deeper undeground. I release Wattson to stay with Tru and be her punching bag as she starts into a lecture about physical attacks boosted by Aura.

"_Thank you Miss Mita. Liza is so very happy all the time. There is a lot of work but all the charizard she's grown close to, including my parents, enjoy what is happening. Unity isn't something we are overly known for but this? This appeals to us."_ I could see that from how the aura of the fire lizards sang through the air. Violence is common here. I felt that the first time we came to the Valley. But now, in the Foundry? Its got purpose.

"_Already we've had more evolutions than any season in the memory of the oldest who joins in the spars. Plus all the people who have come are strong. The charizard who have become trained pokémon have gained great strength and fight above where they ranked before this started."_

Wow. Charla speaks very-wait. Liza's aura brought out her intelligence more? Maybe? What is it about affecting the charizard line that makes aura so compatible? Okay, going to have to push different mons at aura users to see if it does this to any species. I have noticed that all of my family are much more advanced than others but that might just be my destined twelve.

"That's great to hear. Mind if we go to my room, wherever that is, first? I've got to drop off a few of my pokémon and stuff." Charla simply gives me a toothy grin and leads me down a few levels passing the almost hatch like doors to the base's few shops. A Pokémart and food store are all that really stand out so far. My apartment is fairly large, about the size of the hotel room we stayed at what feels like ages ago.

My team pops out quickly as they realize where they are at and scatter for the most part. All but Zaela and Mars who know what I've got planned for Charla more or less. Sunny and Joker move off together in a new project they've gotten into. Joker apparently really likes the idea of knitting as he saw how much Angel liked his gift. Sunny knew a bit from my mother and Becca so she's teaching him how to make a scarf. Its coming about pretty well actually.

Query starts to help Aurora figure out the pots and pans as her usual assistants are off with Tru and Joker. Query simply hums a request in my head that I take Angel with me. Yeah, my boy is still overly paranoid about my safety and likes having one of us with instant movement around me at all times. Apparently Ally Switch works with me and I hadn't know until I noticed that Query always had him or Angel around me since the fight at the Lake of Rage.

Angel moves over to Charla and starts sending her images of herself and pulses of hoping to be great friends as she considers Mars her best friend in the family after myself and Sunny. Charla is quickly and easily charmed to bits by how bright my gardevoir is.

Tass? Well.

"_Huh. So this is fine. I guess. When do we get to more experiments? Don't mons and humans get hurt all the time? I guess I can go with that Joy we saw." _His voice is very, very bored but his feelings read as an almost obsessed need to try and help more people. Oh hell. Is he House? Or like, a not as funny version of House? I named him poorly.

"Soon. I would imagine there are a lot of battles here that result in the need for more healing. For now follow along. Best to know where everything is."

"_Whatever. I guess its nice to be around Angel." _There's that respect for our Angel. Tass isn't fitting in all that well still but he's definitely worked hard at training. Every bit of power he can harness means more of himself that he can give to others. Its so weird feeling his emotions. He honestly doesn't like us all that much yet but the staggering amount of gratitude he has towards Tru, myself and Angel give me hope that he's going to become just as important to the family as the rest of us.

Tass slips into my shadow without another word and Charla starts tugging Angel along to show her the rest of the compound. Its more or less the same until we head down a newly made elevator that ends at a giant, well lit cavern with a huge lake. All of the gyarados that have already been transferred over are with their partners, hanging various supplies for quick exits and shaping the walls a bit so what look like control/engineering rooms can be added in easier. Various golem, exadrill and a host of other ground types are aiding. Every once and a while a gyarados will tug some gathered rocks out and into the water to be molded into supports by the odd quagsire and whiscash.

Humming thoughtfully I tap Zaela's ball and toss it out. My King arrives with a matching hum of pleasure as she dips into the water as easily as she does into the ground and goes help speed things up tremendously. The ten or so workers stare at the massive garchomp bringing up earth in droves and pulling excavated rocks from quite the distance away.

"Just getting the tour. Show Zaela where things need to be when she's done there." Alright, the awed looks are starting to grow on me. Zaela's satisfaction pushes through our bond with a large dose of 'I told you so' as she's been wanting to awaken my draconic pride for ages. She really hates it when Tru and I tend to be overly polite.

Charla gets a few looks as she watches Zaela with barely controlled excitement but the workers ignore me as directed, mostly cause the gyarados are crowding around Zaela with waggling fins. After the fight they were all fans of my massive dragon and her ability to put two of them down fairly easily. I find many pictures of her admirers on the Foundry's post it board up near the Center later. How massive sea dragons look cute I don't understand but they managed it somehow. What I don't notice is a small shape flying through the water after us.

Liza's starter guides me through another tunnel that she explains has an underwater counterpart. Another fairly large cavern appears that houses all those who specialize in water pokémon. There are much more closely knit apartments dug into the sides and a giant pool in the middle that acts as a sparring zone for water types. It also leads outside in a much smaller tunnel than the bay we just left. What attracts my attention is the deep sigh Charla gives at what we see.

"_She's at it again! I wish she wouldn't. Or let herself be caught. If she weren't so impressive for her size I would worry for her health. On the other hand gyarados don't really hurt magikarp. So since she's about the same size they don't go fully enraged at her. I guess we did disturb her 'territory' as she calls it."_

Charla huffs at what we're seeing. And I? I'm just gaping. This has to be number eleven and Angel feels it in my head. She's even more amazed and is second away from trying to hug the female feebas that is swatting the fuck out of a gyarados in the pool. It must be flail or something but every attempt of the obviously pissed off sea monster to bite her misses. Brilliant uses of confuse rays, hypnosis and mist blind the dragon in all but name and I wince as the sound of a missed crunch that sounds like boulders snapping.

Mud sports pepper the gyarados and finally they have had enough. A surf is formed and a red beam of light takes the monster away from the fight as his trainer glares at the smug looking feebas. Smug purple and _shiny_ feebas. What? I...Never asked for a shiny. What the fuck?

"_That's right! Brightscales rules here! All who come here must bow to me or face humiliation! Hmph!"_ Double fuck.

"What the hell! You need to stop! We get it! This was your place! We've offered to find you someplace new or even build it but...Argh!" The man, who I recognize as a researcher that Professor Redwood suggested just throws up his hands and storms away, likely to release his gyarados someplace that it can rage.

Right. Her stats.

_Brightscales the (Apparently) Shiny Feebas_

_Abilities: Swift Swim, Oblivious and Adaptability(Hidden)_

_Nature: Bold_

_Moves: Splash, Tackle, Flail, Mud Sport, Hypnosis, Confuse Ray, Mirror Coat, Tickle, Haze, Mist, Dragon Pulse, Dragonbreath, Captivate, Brine_

The bright purple scaled fish swims up towards us with shocking speed. The dopey looking face stares up at me and Tass chuckles hard from my shadow which the feebas ignores with a large helping of annoyance in her confident aura.

"_You! Fire lizard! Does this one speak as well?"_

Charla is about to say something pretty unpleasant from the way her emotions surge so I intervene. "Yes. I do. Mind telling me why you are beating up my troops?" Inside I am screaming 'wtf' over and over and Angel lays a hand on my shoulder to pulse her own confusion but also slight amusement at how off balance I am.

"_So these are your dullards?! You have much to answer for! This was my place and you took it! Or yours did. Whichever! I demand you either leave or give me something in return! It took me years to fight all that dared come here!" _The smug, overly happy way she says this suggests a lot of mons suffered many, many face smacks from how she was beating the snot out of a creature almost a hundred times her size.

"Oh? Well. I suppose that is fair. What would you consider proper restitution?" My eyebrow raises and I'm more than a little pleased that she thinks, grudgingly, that my single eye is worthy of respect. Or at least that's what I believe from the small bit of admiration I get from her eyeing me over.

"_A new home! Of equal grandness! Obviously. The best for Brightscales! Or..Uhm" _There is something there now. Something she doesn't think is worth the trade from how she feels. She wants it desperately though. Oh its eating at her for certain. But what could it be compared to a whole other home?

Tass ruins it a bit by snickering again from my shadow and a bright flash of a dragon pulse makes me start at how quick it comes out. My grumpy one gets blown out of my shadow with a short cry of pain. The shadow ball he charges immediately explodes in his face and I realize Brightscales mixed in a confuse ray that has Tass drunkenly tossing a magical leaf that is immediately turned around with a mirror coat. It would go on if not for Angel sending up light screens and my voice full of aura and authority.

"Stop. Now. No deal if you keep smacking Tass. He might be an ass at times but this is beneath you as well." That shuts her up a bit but there is very little humility. Just annoyance that she let him get to her. Tass is all set to disobey until I wink at him over my shoulder. Jerk that he might be I do let him prank those I think deserve it (Mostly Wattson at times) but only at the appropriate moment. Thus, my grumpy ghost puts on a pretty good show.

"_Fine. Fine. I'm sorry. But if you're going to fit in here you gotta learn to accept teasing."_ As if he isn't already plotting how to get even he dips back into my shadow with a contrite, fully lying, expression.

"_Hmph! Fine indeed! Very well...Back...To the cost. I uhm. That was...Your king yes? If...If she were to gift me a particularly special scale. To aid in evolution….And a way to the ocean! Both. If you were to give me both I would call the debt paid. Barely!" _The intense guilt she feels at asking for too much in her mind makes me want to tease her more.

"Oh? Are you certain that is a fair deal? It takes an elder milotic or a dragon like pokémon who has mastered multiple elements to grow such a scale." Nevermind the fact that Zaela can't yet create a prism scale. My starter is still quite the ways away from that power. Feebas probably thinks because she's a King that it must come naturally. I'm all set to continue putting her through the ringer a bit but Angel basically gives me the raspberry and takes over without prompting.

Angel could feel that feebas' desire isn't just for evolution but the companionship she lacks in this lake. None of the charizard take her seriously and the water pokémon here are not strong enough to offer her a challenge. Mostly magikarp and the very occasional woopers or poliwags. There is no easy way to the ocean to find possible friends and no trainer comes here save for the charizard. Lonely is this feebas and Angel senses how jealous she is of the gyarados that have arrived. Each with a happy and willing partner. Since she's been here many have tried to catch her but she's not let any succeed since she has more or less danced around all their pokémon.

She wants her trainer to be special. Just as she knows she is. Any who have gyarados who can't keep up with her aren't worth it even despite her loneliness.

Angel gives special to her. Flashes of my family project in her unique way of speaking. The massive battle with the gyarados and how we tamed them just enough to give them hope of a future of battle and glory. The group of charizard up above us with the same dream. Our brutal and relentless dive into the Rocket base. Shared memories of our team laughing together as a family. Then more.

Zaela's terrifying power, forged by a lifetime of constant effort. Query's insatiable desire for sense of self and his kind attitude. Truthseeker's tempered spirit, formed from personal growth and desire. Sunshine and all that she does to make the world brighter for any who meet her. Mars' genius and single minded want to grow for his family. Aurora's gentle emotions constantly making us warmer in heart despite her beloved cold. Wattson's laughter, infecting us all with its constant joy. Joker's simple but savage need to protect all of us. Angel's pureness of emotion, shared with everyone. Even Tasslehoff, bitter and angry that he is. Of all of us, his hope for the future is the most brilliant. A lifetime of suffering to be used to save others.

Feebas can't speak and I'm not much better. Angel is the best of us. Her and Sunny. It shows immensely and I just sigh, all thoughts of teasing forgotten. Tass' emotions scream of regret and true apology, even if he doesn't speak it, at Angel's 'words'. Maybe I should let her train him.

"Zaela can't yet create prism scales I'm afraid. However...If...Angel's message means anything to you, I'd welcome you to my family. Either way, there is this for you." As I planned so long ago I hold up one of Momma's scales. Garchomp do not create prism scales easily as so much of what a prism scale is contains water. Momma however overcame any weakness well before I was born. Feebas gazes at the glittering scale I took from Momma's lighter chest scales and looks over at Angel, then Tass, hidden in shadow.

"_I've waited. There are others of my kind here. But I was special. Ready for more...I..You...Well! Of course you should welcome me."_ Her emotions are roiling about in her heart, speaking of that amazing desire all pokémon have to grow stronger and of how badly she wants to be a part of something that fits her greatness. This is worthy. To stand with a King and those who can challenge her.

I simply chuckle and offer up my second to last premier ball for her in one hand. In the other I hold the prism scale.

"You get the scale regardless. Last chance to walk way with that alone."

Brightscales simply moves forward, tapping the ball and sucking within with a click. All of my catches have been without battle and this is no different. My heart is steady and any guilt I have is washed away by how Angel pulls my thoughts to how much each of my family desires to be with me. With all of us. I think I'm finally over the crushing thought that I destroyed much of some of my partners' lives.

All of my family feel like they are at home with me, even Tass. Its impossible to deny that feeling. So I won't any longer.

Brightscales pops out a moment later! _"What are we waiting for trainer?! I'm yours! Feel proud! But lets do this already! Come on dimwit!"_

I'd feel more insulted if she wasn't swimming about in excited circles as if she just hatched. Pure laughter, or whatever it feels like, shoots out from Angel and I can't help but join her as I lean over the pool's edge and dip my hand into the water for Brightscales to touch.

She slows and her eyes can't leave the dream she's had for ages. Not to evolve as much to grow into who she believes herself to be. Its not as if I doubt her. Above any of my family I can see her sense of herself is the strongest. There is no doubt. No uncertainty. Gently she presses her lips to the scale and brightness overtakes her.

The water refracts the light of her evolution into rainbows, matching the scale. Her body grows tremendously, sleek and lovely. Blue scales grow from her head as her creamy body elongates. The back fin to her serpentine body forms a golden tail with black and red markings. My newly evolved milotic croons out a beautiful sound that matches the voice her aura already spoke of.

Opening her gorgeous blue eyes, her emotions roar out as she presses her head to my hand in thanks. Gently I scratch along her form and she can't help but let me ease the lingering pains of her rapid growth with my aura.

"_Thank you trainer. My name is Brightscales. Please. Tell me your name."_

"I'm Ella Mita. I'm going to be an Aura Guardian. Welcome home."

Later

After that is a bit of history, teaching Brightscales of who I am and what my goal in life is. She's suitably impressed, even if only in her emotions, and says she'd be happy to teach the world to respect our power. Already she's moving about without trouble. At least as she slithers along next to me. Angel is beside herself with joy at another of the family she's dreamed of for years joining and Brightscales can't help but be infected by the happiness that is shared with us all.

Tass doesn't speak but he starts offering up apologies by snagging berries from my pack and feeding them to Brightscales until she finds a favorite. She, of course, accepts this with a slight upturn of her nose but also speaks a bit more polite to my ghost.

Charla just stares, wide jawed, and keeps on pointing her claw back and forth from where we were to Brightscales. My trolling senses tingle and I just wink at her anytime she tries to talk to me about it. At least until we make it back to the Bay. Zaela comes out of the water as we approach and there is another hush as those who didn't get a good look at her size when she dipped in see my monster come over to me.

"_Huh. Another one? So soon? Neat. Hey….Right you're pretty. Are you a good fighter?"_

"_Yes King. Queen? I am. It is good to see another of such prestige as yourself. I, of course, know how lovely I am but I must say you're beyond even my pure form." _Yep. There is admiration in droves. Something about Brightscales must respect regal nature. Right. Milotic. What did I expect? Shiny to boot. I'll shut up now journal-kun.

"_Hah! You got a good one this time sister. I'm Zaela. Let me tell you of the rest of the lot before they make you think they aren't all weirdos." _Joke's on Zaela. They'll do that themselves! Hah!

The rest of the journey back up is with Zaela throwing everyone under the bus except Sunny. No one makes Sunny cry. Aurora isn't spared, which should make for interesting sparring later.

While I very much want to introduce Brightscales to everyone right away I did promise Charla some attention. Before heading back to my new apartment we go right back up to the top and out to the now deserted warzone that is the sparring field.

"Thanks for showing us around Charla. As a reward...Well just actually because you're impressive I'm going to let Mars and Zaela show you some things." Charla jumps a bit in joy but is halted by the low, disturbing laughter my starter begins to let go. Brightscales backs away a bit and I think tries to return herself from the way she's staring at her new pokéball on my belt.

By the way, everyone we passed by stared quite a bit at my newest family member and holy Arceus did she lap it up as if it were her due. Zaela had to be returned until we got back outside so she _knew_ it was only for her.

"_Don't worry sweet Charla. There won't be anything you can't recover from….Mmm. Such lovely toys my sister lets me play with."_ Charla is all set to make a run for it but Mars springs free to block off escape.

"_Greetings Brightscales. I shall enjoy speaking with you later. Forgive the rudeness of the moment but there is one of my kind I must break and mold into terrifying power and ability. It requires all of my attention. Later, I shall focus solely upon you. Ah ah ah. Charla. It is only for your own good." _My son _sounds_ polite but the way he's restraining the flailing Charla and how his eyes are gleaming with sadistic pleasure tells me he's taking his training even more serious these days. Brightscales shrinks away from this and Mars probably makes the wrong first impression.

Okay. Maybe Zaela and Mars do have a future together as they drag the panicking charmeleon away to the horror that is our usual training. Or rather what it used to be until we got adjusted to it. Brightscales shivers a bit at the presence Zaela is letting leak out and I idly wonder if Mars is going to try and turn Charla into a dragon type as he more or less could be classified with his skill in it.

"Oh don't worry Brightscales. You'll get to go through training just as soon as Rose clears you. She's our resident healer. Now now. Don't try to run. You can't flee fast without water." Idly I return her as she tries anyway and each and every time she attempts after until I let her off the hook. Do I lie and say that we'll ease her into it? Yes. Absolutely. But then again she doesn't know that four of our family are healers and any pain she endures will be immediately taken care of. Besides, I know in her heart that she's able to handle it. There was no faking her absolute desire to stand with all that she saw in Angel's memories.

Speaking of Angel, she's just humming mentally along as if nothing horrifying was shown to our new family member. Shit. We're already lowering her idea of what is cruel.

Skipping ahead a bit, Brightscales needs a bit more food and new nutrients to support her evolution but is otherwise in great shape. Apparently she'd been getting fed by a few of the gyarados trainers who enjoyed seeing their partners get beat up by something so small. Probably helped with big headed pride issues. The rest of the team greeted her well. Bit of that here.

"_Welcome. New family. Gift." _Yep. The horribly knitted scarf/blanket/towel? that Joker and Sunny give Brightscales is the same shade of purple that most of my team wear. Angel apparently sent images of me capturing feebas and they shifted their design halfway to be a hammock for her. So when a milotic showed up they just tied it around her neck. Surprisingly she took it quite well despite how utterly deformed it was. I sensed a fear of rejection swiftly dispersed at the obvious joy Sunny has to see her and how Joker carefully ties the cloth about her neck. His sharp, dangerous claws never come close to even scratching.

"_You're so beautiful! Angel was so pretty when she joined but you look like a rainbow! Do you like rubs? Zaela and Mars both have scales and love rubs! Here! Let me show you! Oh I'm so happy you're here! Oh! Oh! I'm Sunshine Mita. That's my mom!" _Sunny does her dance of happy and goes to get the heavy brush she uses to help me groom Zael and Mars. Brightscales barely has time to greet Sunny back before she's crooning that lovely tone of hers at the way Sunny's ribbons stroke up and down my milotic's scales.

"_As always it is lovely to see how quickly you find friends. Greetings Brightscales. I am Aurora. Welcome to this family. Later after you have settled I would adore if you told me of what you enjoyed eating." _Brightscales perked up a bit there and stared upwards at the only other of my team to approach Zaela's size.

"_Thank you...I..Am a bit overwhelmed. This is obviously my...Due." _A pause here as she watches Aurora's lips twitch in mirth and Brightscales sighs. _"Thank you. I would love to speak with you soon."_

Wattson buts in here as he and Tru were in our apartment already when we returned. _"Hah! Its hard to keep up anything but your best behavior in front of Mom eh? That's who Aurora is basically. I'm Wattson. The quiet one here is Tru. We're together. Like I adore her and she's my girlmon."_

Tru of course blushes hard and smacks Wattson over the head without looking. He's used to it and just beams at Brightscales with a massive thumbs up. _"He speaks truth, if stupidly. Welcome Brightscales. Mistress Ella's emotions felt full of joy at your arrival. Acceptance is yours with us. Forgive those of us who are….Exuberant."_

"_...I like you. Perhaps later we can speak of these emotions? I only know a bit of what an Aura Guardian is but Ella did say you helped her learn much of her abilities?"_

Tru smiles a bit and links her paw into Wattson's to keep him from heading off to help Aurora with food just yet. Ignoring his satisfied snickering Tru simply lets a bit of her aura into her words to express her willingness. _"We helped each other. Ella taught me as much if not more than I did her. While not all of us share the exact dream that she and I do, we are all committed to each other certainly. Even the ghost is here for the long haul despite his desire a bit more self-centered. Not in a bad way. Just very personal. __It would be my honor to help you understand more of this family."_

The rest is pretty much just a nice night. There is a bit of a shock when Zaela and Mars pop out of a wall but that's easily explained away as I blush, forgetting that Zaela can't really get through most of the tunnels so of course she made her own. Mars takes Brightscales off to have his promised conversation with Angel there to help translate his awkwardness. He's learning more and more though. Zaela though comes up to me and grunts.

"_I don't want you going anywhere here without me for a while. I spotted Dad and it felt like he was...Angry. Momma told me a bit about him. She only really respected his power and otherwise felt he was an asshole. So yeah. Before we leave I'm going to beat the shit out of him. Killing you to draw me out earlier sounds like what Momma would have expected of him."_

Oh. Okay. Ancient big charizard that can beat Momma after my head out of spite. Fun. I simply lean against Zaela and close my eyes. I've gotten used to her roughness. Sleep takes me soon after.

Bruno's Work

Brightscales refuses to let me call her 'Bri' as apparently her self chosen name is too grand to be shortened. So. Of course, I'm going to call her 'Bri' here for you journal-kun.

I can be spiteful too!

The next day has the start of a routine. Tru takes the two riolu's and their trainers off to her own brand of boot camp with Sunny and Angel usually along to help show Rose a lot of what they are capable of. Its not that Rose hasn't been trained as all Joys are. Its just that Sunny and Angel have so much practical experience. Those small little things that healers pick up over time. That Angel can translate in such a profound way makes the lessons that more effective. Rose tells me later that she really wants a sylveon for how useful her ribbons are both to read everything about a patient in an instant and basically extra limbs for emergencies.

I don't get to spend a lot of time with Rose as she's soaking up my team's hard earned knowledge about emergency care like mad. We get to eat dinner or so sometimes but my time is spent learning more of the Foundry's people and pokémon. There is no shortcut to proper leadership. Knowing of them all will just make my goal that much more doable. Rose understands this but I will admit I'm just a bit sad I can't be around her more. Her aura is much like Angel's. A balm. Damnit! Few more years. Bah!

Brightscales joins Mars and Charla in boot camp as Zaela refuses to leave my side as promised. I spend a lot of the next few months with them especially as Zaela has so much to offer in draconic energies that both my milotic and Charla can use. Liza joins quite a bit as well when Tru takes Knight and Jordan (Dunno why Rose named him that) off to impart lucario things to them.

Whenever my first convert joins us I pretty much only talk through aura and force her to keep up at a blistering pace. She hates me for it at first even if she does fantastically at it compared to when I started. Probably because she grew up with the charizard line. There is no easy way to deal with them.

Charla evolves pretty soon after the brutal training begins and Liza is beyond joyful. Even our way of helping Charla learn to fly doesn't dampen their spirits. Basically Charla is a fly and stone edges and ancient power are the swatter. It leads to a lot of forced agility and a surprisingly quick steel wing. Its unpleasant but also leads to a lot of new recruits among the Valley. I guess charizard like the idea of having to go through a gauntlet of dangerous, possibly fatal attacks to get stronger. Duh me.

Liza surprises me in other ways. She's got an amazing head for organization. Not the easy leadership and fear that Rose can radiate in an instant but she can maximize our time spent in amazing ways. That combined with her expert knowledge of the area lead us to find new ways to train that even have Bruno looking her way with admiration. I mean. It is just a normal blank look but I can feel the admiration. Back to Bruno in a second.

Liza's way of using aura suits her perfectly. She almost mimics Query in the balance of things. Hers is a bit more spiritual though. Its how she's dealt with all the charizard in the Valley. She sees where they need to go to attain balance and guides them to it. Usually that's just fighting someone in particular or learning a new move or perhaps a mate they want. When its trained though? She starts to see within a pokémon where they need more work. Or even diets. Nutrition become second nature to her and she can immediately find where a strain is. This helps Rose immensely and Liza is demanded by many people.

None so much as Bruno. Right. Fine. I get to talk about both the most boring individual in the Foundry and its most inspiring.

Bruno is everything I expected and more. As are all canon persons I've met have been. The only surprise was the first day which honestly I should have predicted. The long night of getting to know Brightscales took its toll. I woke grumpy but satisfied. No regrets until I went out to meet Bruno at dawn. I've been getting up before dawn since I was four so it wasn't any huge deal but again, long night.

The first flying fist at my head missed only because he pulled his punch. While I've been trained for years by both Tru, Joy's lucario and mom I will never be a real fighter of legend or anything close. I'll have enough with my aura abilities to take on any person below Bruno's skill and some low level pokémon but my true strength will always be in supporting others. Thus, the next ten minutes of basically fleeing Bruno's steady effort to put me in the dirt were among the most frustrating of my life.

Zaela, the traitor, just watched and busied herself trying to pull rocks from the ground further and further away. Eventually I was on the ground panting despite my usually massive stamina. About a minute into dodging and attempting counters I started tossing aura spheres that he either batted away with strikes or took on his massive shoulders. I shouldn't have been surprised he tanked the hits from how notorious he is for sparring with his own pokémon.

Defeated, I just groaned from my place in the dirt and glared at him. "Right...this...what you wanted to show me?"

I felt like a giant bruise but honestly it wasn't that bad. Bruno had no mercy in his emotions but there was a pleased satisfaction to it. "Its good you know to fight defensively. We shall develop your style as such. Rise. I will show you what I have started."

Cursing a bit in my head I run aura through my body and follow already healing as he leads me down into the Valley. Zaela trails behind, her eyes on the sky. Bruno leads me to a simple cave, massive, but simple. Inside are his team. A hitmonlee, hitmonchan , machamp, onix, poliwrath and a surprise charizard. Then again he has been here a while.

"My team has started on a way to train all that reside here. My gyarados is starting with the others today." Right. I suppose he'll have an Aggron when they show up later as well. "Much of it is simple power and stamina for now. Once they have achieved the desired strength I will show where accuracy comes in. Both gyarados and charizard are somewhat fast but their true ability lies in precise, overwhelming power."

Bruno's charizard is soaking this up like its the most delicious thing in the universe. Fuck. Even her emotions are so much more disciplined than all the others I've met save Charla and Mars. Hitmonlee moves up to me and bows once before heading over to Zaela and doing the same then without speaking strikes up a ready pose.

Zaela simply snorts and moves out of the cave a bit with a welcoming growl and sounds of destruction and the occasional boulder tell of the spar starting out of my vision.

"Good. He has wished for a challenge. The charizard in particular have been pleasing to train against. Burns are unfortunate but it has taught me much speed." What. Right. Of course he's just charged head first into flamethrowers or some other bull shit. What have I unleashed? "Much of it is as you expect. Weighing down limbs. Repeated movement. True results will not happen for a few years but I am glad I am here. Foundry. An apt name."

I suppose it would be. The simple cave suits him. Some books, a kitchen and a bed are all that he has here. The water and our training ground upstairs are far enough away to be a trek. Then there are his emotions. Bruno doesn't seek to get stronger for power but to learn more of himself. His martial arts is very pure as far as I could ever understand things. There isn't an overly huge desire for conflict but the quiet way he's starting to feel more pleased at what is happening in the Valley give me hope he's going to stay here for good.

"Thank you Bruno. I know its yet early to really see how this is affecting things but-" We pause as hitmonlee crashes into the cave with what looks like a draco meteor (just a single one) carrying him into the wall with a brutal crash. He simply stands after a moment of quiet contemplation, dusts himself off and walks a few steps before running into a high-jump kick. Zaela's cry of enraged pain tells us that it was a hit and more crashing follows. "...but I can already see some of the change you've caused. Liza hasn't complained once to me in letters about the anger of the Valley's original inhabitants. That's amazing right there."

Bruno pauses, still giving me that stupid neutral stare. I like the guy but would it kill him to just even frown?! Something? "I see. I had not considered that. Their attacks have been seeming to become more intense and less hostile." Wait? Where is the difference there? Arceus help me understand this man.

"I'm a bit afraid to know what changes between those two things." My hand goes up to stop him from attempting to tell me. "Whatever the case I've some months here and I'd appreciate your help in training. I, of course, have much to teach you of aura as I know it if you are interested."

Now his eyes gleam and inside I'm doing that happy dance you do in your pjs that _no one_ is supposed to see. Ever. I'm not sure if Bruno has ever met an Aura Guardian before that taught him anything. That his emotions spike in severe interest make me purr almost in a very Zaela manner.

Speaking of Zaela.

"_Oh I'm going to get you you flying, dipping, dodging piece of shit! Come back here! I'll show you how to _really_ get hit!"_

Ignoring that, and the subsequent sound of part of the cliff breaking, I simply nod. "It'll be fun showing you what I can do. Tru will come along sometimes as well and help with her fighting style. Foundry? I hadn't actually heard the name of this place yet. It fits."

Bruno's lips twitch just a tiny bit and I can feel the smile in his heart. He'd make a shit dragon with his utter lack of passion for destruction but the way he thrives under adversity would fit in just fine. "Indeed. I'll do my best to help you forge this dream I find more and more worthy daily."

I left that day feeling great about the future. Of course. That was before he put me through the Foundry in earnest.

The weeks went by more or less like this. Two days with Liza and Charla, two days with my full team to train together, one day to rest while getting to know the Foundry's new citizens and two days with Bruno.

Every day I trained with Bruno was more brutal than five others without. If I thought I was brutal on myself before it was nothing compared to what Bruno expected of me. It was flattering in theory. He knew exactly how badly I wanted my dream to succeed. How? Because his dream was just as important to him. That single overriding goal to become more aware of himself.

Thus he tore me apart and helped me put myself together as I desired. My team was the same.

Zaela of course adored it. The harder the better for her and by the end of it she could defeat all of his team one on one. We've always had great ideas about moves and tactics but I never really fully brought out her true inner strength much to my shame. I didn't know this of course. Zaela is seven years old now and is almost at her peak already. At least what Bruno described as the first step. Whatever the fuck that means. Truly Zaela has grown into her King's Nature past any expectations I've had, at least this early. We're still a ways away from the Legend but its not such a pipe dream anymore.

Query improved the most in the technical aspect. He's always had an amazing style of combat but having all of Bruno's team kick, punch, crunch and crush at him day after day helped with his already scary awareness. No one can face him in melee from the sheer amount of attacks he can throw but his defenses have skyrocketed. Every brain can not only attack but defend at the same time, sometimes with multiple minor attacks.

Tru has always had a fairly melee heavy style as well but once Bruno found out she's our emergency medic he turned her into a tank. Out of all of us she was treated to the most weights and the hardest attacks. Protect was now her most effective move not for herself but to be used in front of allies. Speed and toughness became her creed and she flocked to it with intense determination.

Sunny improved the most overall. It is still difficult to see her suffer, even if just in training but she didn't complain once or hesitate despite the effort. Bruno's team was a bit wary of her delicate stature but the man himself just let her dictate what she could take. Wish is almost automatic with her now with almost no wind up. But that's not what truly has made her shine. All of my pokémon have their own place in things but up until this training Sunny didn't have her place to show her stuff. Barriers of all varieties and status effects are the name of her game now. Support in the truest sense to confuse foes and lower their ability to hurt her family. She's able to use double teams that create reflects and light screens. Not from themselves but she can project them over quite a large amount of distance. That combined with her ever increasing range with moonblast has truly carved out a spot for her to take pride in. She's grown up.

Mars remains the genius he is. While he didn't learn new moves every single one he possesses has combined in shocking ways. Wings hum with steel energy and draconic at the same time in his strikes. His claws pulse into different types of moves mid-swing to confuse foes and any ancient power, probably his favorite move, can now be pulled from the earth as draco meteors even without mega evolving. Zaela's compliments on him have become downright filthy when she wants to screw with me but I can't blame her. Mars barely used Bruno's methods save for constant sparring with his team. The scary thing about it? I'm _sure_ he hasn't shown us everything.

Aurora didn't change that much ability wise but her defenses have taken a dramatic turn. Long days of horrible pain were common for my ancient friend. Fighting and steel are some of her worst weaknesses and all of Bruno's team used such moves quite a bit. Even fire, while not as bad for her, was still pushed over her constantly. Even harder than watching Sunny be smacked down the screams Aurora had when this training started were almost enough to make me stop the whole idea. She convinced me otherwise but Angel spent a lot of her time working on Aurora over the months. Even more than Zaela, Aurora used terrain to fight. Once she got used to taking the damage she couldn't avoid she started to redirect attacks with precise movement of her terrain. Hail gathered around her like a spiraling tornado and she combined sandstorms into everything she did. Her earth sense, aided by Zaela's teaching, became almost as good as a ground type at making sure she knew where opponents were. Finally, her core ability got to the point where she can maintain a magnet rise even with her giant form for ages. Zaela loves and hates it that Aurora can beat her even quicker now.

Wattson's changes were mostly about ranged attacks. Bruno actually found Wattson's melee abilities fairly well thought out but brutally took on my electrivire's poor defenses. While he didn't really like it to start Wattson has started to pick up ways to keep enemies away until he can bring in devastating single attacks buffed up with hitting himself with lightning or meditating. Shock wave is his new friend and he's been learning how to thread thunder waves in sneakily. Bruno had a lot of fun (I felt it obviously, he didn't show it) with the idea of a single attack of all your strength. My idiot of a friend named it THE Punch. Yes. Capital letters. The idea was to fully buff himself with his ability and carefully set up an earthquake (or thunderbolt a flyer into position) and combine a thunderpunch and focus punch into one game ending attack. Complete with end pose. Bruno was impressed by the power of it, but not the grandstanding. Ice or Fire punch would substitute for those not vulnerable to thunderpunch. Those were still a work in progress but so far it hasn't failed to knock out anything he hits. The issue is the set up but its very promising.

Joker's entire time was learning how to dodge and new fighting styles. Zoroark are never going to be the most burly of fighters but Joker's speed is becoming something of legend and by the end of his training it was a struggle for even two of Bruno's team to land a hit on him without restricting his movement with a dedicated move for it. The reaction time of my zoroark has become beyond belief as the hyper awareness he needed to copy forms was brought up to such a level that Bruno wants very much to gain a zorua of his own. Much of martial arts are deception of the body and Bruno's interest in seeing how to develop a style just for Joker's species is intense. Every movement Joker makes now leads to damage. Every dodge sets up his claws or an elemental attack or some way to fuck with his enemy's senses. Spars with Joker ended up with much healing on both sides but its been beyond fruitful.

Angel hasn't improved in ability as she has in skill. Her attacks were already brutal as can be as well as her tactics but what we truly focused on was dealing with massive amounts of emotion. Most of Bruno's team is fairly calm but a few of them have great desire for combat and it reaches a passion. They just don't show it. Angel more or less fights the same but we've managed to get her to maintain her cool and focus on priorities in a split second without being overwhelmed. Query helps a ton when he can by lending her a mind but she can do mostly perfect on her own. As she's mostly a special attacker it was a lot of resistance training for Bruno's team and dodging for her. Frankly with how fast she can dart with teleport into perfect position I think we got the better end of the deal.

Tasslehoff learned patience. We had barely gotten into training when we arrived in the Valley and it showed quite a bit with him. He was used to causing status effects and hiding. Typical ghost fare. What he's developed now is perfect timing. He'll never really be a one on one fighter in any other manner but with destroying an opponent's system. What he is in team combat though? He can take a hit that would wreck others on my team and send it back with payback while unleashing a cascade of effects. Combined with Angel and Sunny's (Bri too now actually) methods of sleeping an opponent he can easily heal back up even without pain split. Yay Dream Eater. What is even worse is how easily he can dart from one ally's shadow to another with double teams and confuse rays. Angel and him are the worst to face off against. Imagine it. Her dancing around healing the team and at each stop a wil o' wisp or toxic from her shadow while she protects the supported mon. The applications are staggering and we just barely got it started. He'd found his way to help and more so than his increase in ability was the slow thawing of his emotions. It wasn't quite joy yet but warmth comes more and more from my ghost. The lots and lots of healing practice probably helped. Just a little bit of improvement there. Still hurts like hell but its getting easier.

Finally. Brightscales. Power leveling is a thing and only the pride of my newest family member kept her from breaking in earnest. Every day was a slap in her face at how far ahead we were. I wanted her as a feebas because I thought that more than any of my other more evolved members that the transition would be better with a trainer. I was right for the most part. Instinct played a big part of her picking up new things but the growth into the tank that she was became the longest, hardest path of all of my family. Still. The results are amazing. Literally nothing can take her out in one hit so far. Endure was the first thing I had Tass teach her and everything from that point has led to something unmovable. Aqua ring, recover and refresh combined with her marvel scale means its beyond difficult for even Aurora's freeze dry to significantly harm Bri. Half the time Wattson is charmed by her and wants nothing to do with throwing more punches. Constant coiling while she redirects attacks along with her abilities to confuse mean she can wait patiently until she's built up enough strength to where it matters. Ice beam taught by Aurora just makes it more difficult to get to her and frankly Bruno's team hates her. No attack puts her down. Nothing. She doesn't yet have the power to truly cause a lot of damage but at no point will she be defeated. The months of training were hard for her but her pride carried her to stand tall. She's a bit of a loner like Tass but much more than him she's willing to 'lower herself' to be friendly. We're all aware she adores this life of acceptance but the excuse is funny enough that we let it go on. All of us.

The months pass so quick. Mom is around the corner and there is one last thing left to do in the Valley.

My own growth has gone past what I believed would be possible until I was older. Bruno can still put me down but I make him work for it now. Much like most of my team I work the terrain and whittle down the fighting master with ranged attacks and quick movements. The long year of constant aura enhancement has paid out in droves and I really feel confident these days that I can keep myself alive in what is to come once the Order really takes off.

My relationship with the future members of said Order has become something special. I know everyone well enough that they've all become precious to me. I know I will be sending some to possible death and heart ache but they all have gotten to see my drive. Angel has been broadcasting memories of our training to motivate the charizard and gyarados but also to show my employees just how committed I am to becoming stronger for my dream. Just because she's the best doesn't mean she can't be somewhat sneaky. I didn't find out about her doing that until a week before we left when someone commented they'd miss seeing me get pounded into the ground.

They might have been slightly bitter about Mars taking on his partner the day before. Not in true negative fashion. Just joking. Mostly. What really comes of it is that they aren't just employees anymore. They're of the Order. Or whatever I eventually call it. Crap. Really got to think of that.

Rose and I had time to get to know each other a bit better. Nothing too much as I just didn't have enough time. Can't wait till I'm over puberty though. She's very pretty when she's worked up about something. Jordan is her perfect helper and Tru tells me he's going to be a better medic than her once he's older.

Liza has become something special. Much as Sunny is the heart of my team, Liza has become the heart of the Valley. A bright spot for all. When the pokémon need to let off steam she organizes tournaments that lead to the winner's name being carved into a raised boulder for all to see until the next tournament. When the humans become restless she gets everyone to visit random cities for a few days. Violet City is just as visited as the others so patterns aren't made to show where our base is. Sadly this means that the charizard are often kept in their balls at more famous locations. The way Liza sees balance has brought us closer together than even I could have done.

Bruno is Bruno. Seriously. Its the same every day up till the last. I get a 'good job' and that's his goodbye. Even after we finally got him to form an aura sphere. It took an entire month.

I'm going to prank the shit out of him the next time I'm here.

None of these things are the last thing though. Mom is standing right in front of my vision but Zaela and I have one last thing to do. The goodbye and hugs I get from Liza, Rose and a few of the others make me sniffle just a bit. I'm properly teased and fly off (read: flee) on Mars' back to the center of the Valley.

We will not fear anything in this place nor leave a possible enemy for the Foundry.

I return Mars at the massive entrance to the dormant volcano that has made me look over my shoulder all these months. No more. The rumbling, dark voice that echoes out of the hole feels primal. Already I can see the almost white color of his flaming tail. Dragons never truly stop growing and this charizard, much like Mars, is a dragon.

"_Come alone little speck? Did you think your 'Guardian' title would mean anything here? Or is it arrogance that drives you? Fine enslaver. Come try and tame me like you did my daughter. I'll burn you so fully that your corpse will be ashes to cover that abomination of a home you've taken from the Valley's true purpose."_

Thud after thud follow as Zaela's sire comes into the light. Large scars cover his body, nearly ten feet tall. Thick cords of muscle pulse as if his heart is the remnants of the volcano, trapped in his chest. Teeth longer than my hands curl over his lips as he growls loud enough to disturb the earth. Fear is gone from me at the stark feeling of his power. Despite the very physical heat he gives off his aura tastes of nothing but cold. Death.

The ding of a pokéball's release stops him in his tracks.

"_Father. I've come to say hello."_

* * *

Brightscales

This is boorish. Uncouth! You are better than this! I cannot accept such a tra-

Okay I can't do this anymore. Do you remember when I spoke like that? Hah! I was so full of myself. So proud of every little thing. Its a bit embarrassing to remember those first few years. So silly. Everything was about catching up and being 'worthy'. Psh. As if you cared. As if any of our family did.

I should have listened to Angel first and foremost. Our legendary girl truly got me to open up fully as you know but that's to be expected. Only a legendary can truly communicate with my glorious self.

Ahahahah. Its good to laugh. I miss how free it was back then. At the start. Every day was so difficult as I'm sure you've heard from each of us. Even Sunny I would imagine. Everything has found its place except, ironically, you. Oh I don't mean about your dream. That I would almost say could survive even if you were gone tomorrow.

That's how powerful an impact you've had Ella. My beloved trainer. From this corner of the world to all of them I doubt there isn't a person or pokémon alive who don't know again what a Guardian is. Perhaps not who you are personally but definitely at the very least rumors.

Rumors are the start of legends. I'm being cheeky I know. Its good to be. Tass was yelling about his letter. He's angry. Big surprise. Oddly enough I know this means that he is so very worried about you. My former arrogance gained me a lot of time alone to observe as Query does.

While he does that well he still misunderstands emotions a bit more than he thinks. Yes you do Query. Don't be stuffy about it. You'll remind me of me.

Hah! That shut him up.

So, because of Tass I truly am worried now. Not about you dying or falling into despair but for lost opportunities. You may miss them if you let this consume you for much longer. I almost did when we met. There was an instant, before you met me, where I almost fled. Zaela…

You must never repeat this. For love of me. Never say this Query. Or you Ella.

Zaela flowed into the water of the bay and I was so very frightened of her presence that I fled to where you met me so I could escape. I truly thought she was here to kill me for being a pest. King pokémon are not often kind in the wild. That Zaela has turned out as she has speaks highly of this family.

What was _I_? Shiny or not, compared to Zaela's glory. Then Charla showed up with someone that was talking to her. Just like Liza. So many hours envying them. I would have let Liza capture me for that but she was never interested in the sea. Knight at least turned out to be someone fun to hang around with at times. I regret that Charla and I are not closer with how much time we spend in the Foundry.

I digress. If I hadn't have been so curious about you I couldn't even imagine where I would be now. Your past aside I don't believe in Fate as you do. I chose you as much as you chose me. You offered me a way to have what I wanted without cost. It was so very tempting to take the scale and leave but Angel's memories brought out what I truly wished. To belong to those I considered peers.

Back then it was very selfish. Only the best for me. It took so long for humility to take root but here is what I want you to pay attention to. The greatest gift you ever gave me was acceptance. At all points. When I was a bitch or cold or stubborn. Never did you show regret for taking me along with you and our family. Query won't write it unless I tell him to so do know I'm crying now. In reverence. For this life you let me experience with _you._ _Them._ _Us._

A lonely, stuck up snob for years. Yours. And not one regret ever that I could see. Even when I was at my most difficult.

So my beloved. Please take this to heart. Do not let a single regret form of this sorrow you find yourself in.

As always,

your Brightscales

* * *

**Holy crap was that hard to write. The beginning of this chapter took like seven different attempts and I'm still not happy. After all that though I found what I needed and I'm _very_ excited to start on next chapter. And horrified. Its the biggest battles I have planned yet.**

**Work has sucked. It delayed me writing quite a bit and then I got a heavy case of writer's block. Like mad. For inspiration I decided to replay ultra moon and used my copy of ultra sun to get Ella's team with my favorite of their abilities. Which brings us to the funny part of Brightscales. The last of Ella's team before the legend. Who is still a bit away.**

**Bri's original name was going to be Lady but one of the eggs for my feebas hatched shiny. So yeah. Brightscales. I was highly amused and it helped this chapter flow so very well. I don't expect I'll be writing quite as quick as before just so I can think about things more but I'm very much still focused on finishing Ella's story. Even if there is a ton left.**

**As a sorry for this being somewhat late in my eyes the next chapter is called Adept and Parents.**

**Also, sorry not sorry for the cliffhanger.**

**Onto the team!**

**_**1- Zaela the King Garchomp (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Adamant**__

**_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, Double Team, Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, Rain Dance, Mud-Slap, Dual Chop, Slash, Dragon Claw, **_**__**Draco Meteor, Dragon Rush, Earthquake, **__**_**Stone Edge, **_**__**Crunch, **__**_**Fire Blast, Aerial Ace, Hyper Be**_**__**am**__

**_**Combination Moves: Furnace (Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit)**_**

**_**Pain Whirl (Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and Rock Slide with a helping of Mud-Slap. Confuse them in a tornado made of giant pain rocks)**_**

**_**Grinder- Earthquake and Earth Power to simultaneously disrupt movement and provide a sharp incline to speed up Dragon Rush and manually activate Stealth Rocks. Rock Slide to subtly hammer Stealth Rocks towards vital points. Very tiring.**_**

**_**Ella's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_**

**_**2- Query the Shiny Metagross**_**__** (Identifies Male)**__

__**Ability: Clear Body**__

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

**_**Moves: Iron Head, Iron Defense, Take Down, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Psych Up, Gravity, Ally Switch, Miracle Eye , Scary Face, Brick Break, Meteor Mash, Agility, Magnet Rise, Return, Reflect, Double Team, Light Screen, **_**__**Rock Smash, Hammer Arm. Pursuit, **__**_**Hammer Arm, **_**__**Toxic, Shadow Ball, Hyper **__**_**Beam, Focus Blast, **_****_**Flash, **_****_**Laser Focus, Telekinesis, Grass Knot, Giga Impact, **_****_**Earthquake**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Psi-Fist - A method of psychic manipulation of an opponents gravity and self to make critical hits happen. A variety of punches/strikes with heavy but small piercing-like psychic stabs to balance points. **_****_**Grass Knot and Flash-distracted Laser Focus attacks added.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Two- Constant mind/emotion reading to adapt to attack patterns and psychological weaknesses. Low level confusion waves to occlude and disrupt senses and to influence terror or caution depending on level of threat as well as psychological profile. Can currently use two dedicated brains for state two. Three deemed too detrimental to combat ability.**_**

**_**3- Truthseeker(Tru) the Lucario (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Inner Focus, **_**__**Justified (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Serious**__

**_**Moves: Foresight, Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Detect, Cross Chop, Bite, Mind Reader, High Jump Kick, Agility, Vacuum Wave, Crunch, Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash, Copycat, Rock Smash, Force Palm, **_**__**Aura Sphere, Heal Pulse, **____**Protect, **____**Power-Up Punch, Me First, Calm Mind, **____**Extremespeed, Toxic, Focus Blast, Shadow Bal**__**_**l, **_**__**Thunderpunc**__**_**h**_****_**, Close Combat**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Heal Sphere- Aura Sphere made with heal pulse energy. Very aura intensive but serves as a long range critical heal.**_**

__**EMT- Bullet Punch, **____**Extremespeed or**____**M**____**e First(Depends on move) to target who is attacking ally. Counter if needed while second hand is using Heal Pulse. High Jump Kick away if Quick Attack is not fast enough. Looking into Substitute, Extremespeed and Quick Guard for increased effectiveness.**__

__**Reader: Calm Mind, Mind Reader, Detect to stay in someone's guard. Protect to be **____**used**____** later when unable to dodge.**__

__**Regen: Developed by Joy's lucario. Bounces small Heal Pulses onto a Protect screen to cause small amounts of healing over time. Somewhat draining even when perfected. Calm Mind increases efficiency.**__

**_**4- Sunshine(Sunny) the Sylveon (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Cute Charm, **__**_**Pixilate (Hidden)**_**

__**Nature: Quirky**__

__**Moves: Fake Tears, Tickle, Wish, Yawn, Stored Power, **____**Charm,**____** Tackle, Helping Hand, Baby-Doll Eyes, Fairy Wind, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Swift, Moonblast, Refresh, Draining Kiss, Light Screen, Misty Terrain, Skill Swap, Reflect, Safeguard, Round, **____**Shadow Ball, To**__**_**xic, **_****_**Dig, **_****_**Snore, **_****_**Hyper Voice, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Double Team**_**

__**Special Moves: Talk no jutsu. Seriously. Okay not seriously. Just couldn't resist the joke.**__

**_**5- Mars the Shiny Charizard**_**__** (Male)**__

**_**Ability: Blaze**_**

**_**Nature: Lonely**_**

__**Moves: **__**_**Ancient Power, Flare Blitz, Scratch, Ember, Dragon Dance, Air Cutter, Crunch, Bite, Beat Up, Dragon Rush, Dragon Pulse, Slash, Fire Fang, Dragon Rage, Flame Burst, Flamethrower, Metal Claw, Smokescreen, Wing Attack, **_****_**Fire Blast, Thunderpunch, Hyper Beam, Toxic, Focus Blas**_**__**t, **____**Dragon Tail, Dragon Breath, **____**Shadow Claw. Will o' Wisp, Ominous Wind, Fire Spin, **____**Dig, Earthquake**____**, Sunny Day. Draco Meteor (Currently only in Mega)**__

**_**Combination Moves(Self Taught): Dragon Blitz-High speed directed attack. A fully boosted by Dragon Dance Flare Blitz combined with a Dragon Rush that can be changed mid attack by using an enforced claw with Slash and Metal Claw to dig into nearby surfaces to a new direction. **_**__**Wing Attack and Air Cutter to achieve similar effects in air. Steel Wing desired. Double Team to be added for confusion once completely mastered. Possible Beat Up Clones when team exceeds six members.**__

**_**Smoke Boost- Dragon Dance while setting up favorable terrain with Ancient Power and hoping for more buffs while covered in a Smokescreen. Double Team and Beat Up to be added later.**_**

__**Firewall- Flame Bursts tossed up high and fed with a directional Air Cutter. Flamethrower added immediately after Flame Burst. Able to use without Blaze but cannot sustain it while moving without ability activation. Ancient Power to be added in slowly. Rock Slide an alternative if learnt.**__

**_**6- Aurora the **_****_**Aurorus**_**__**(Female)**__

**_**Abilities: Refrigerate, Snow Warning (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Modest**_**

**_**Moves: Powder Snow, Thunder Wave, Haze, Barrier, Mirror Coat, Sandstorm, Hail, Magnet Rise, Discharge, Rock Throw, Mist, Icy Wind, Ice Beam, Round, Ancient Power, Aurora Beam, Avalanche, **_****_**Thunderbolt, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Safe**_****_**guard, Freeze Dry, Light Screen. Encore, Nature Power, Blizzard, **_****_**Rain dance**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Storm Defense: Ability activation, Sandstorm and Barrier. Omni-Directional Discharge if any non-ground types enter the field.**_**

__**7- **____**Wattson(Thunderbug) the Ele**____**c**____**tivire**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Motor Drive**__

__**Nature: Jolly**__

__**Moves: **____**Thunder Shock, Cross Chop, Thunderbolt, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Focus Punch, Low Kick, Rolling Kick, Meditate, Dynamic Punch, Light Screen, Barrier, Thunderpunch, Discharge, Thunder, Shock Wave**____**, Focus Blast, Toxic, **____**Thunder Wave, **____**Dig, **____**Earthquake, **____**Electric Terrain, **____**Round**__

__**Combo Moves: THE Punch-A fully motor drive/meditate buffed thunder punch combined with focus punch and electric terrain caused by launching someone with an earthquake. Ice or Fire Punch substituted for vulnerabilities.**__

__**8- Joker**____** the Zoroark**____**(Male)**__

**_**Ability: Illusion**_**

**_**Nature: Serious (as fuck)**_**

**_Moves: _****_Fake Tears, Fury Swipes. Night Slash, Night Daze, Detect, U-Turn, Imprison, Pursuit, Hone Claws, Flamethrower, Scary Face, Feint Attack, Taunt, Foul Play, Torment, Double Team, Embargo, Punishment, Dark Pulse, Copycat, Sucker Punch, Shadow Ball, Bounce, Grass Knot, Psych Up, _****_Shadow Claw, Snarl, _****_Dig_**

**_**9- Angel**_**__** the **____**Gardevoir**____** (Female)**__

__**Ability: Trace, Synchronize, Telepathy (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Modest**__

__**Moves: **____**Teleport, Ally Switch, Trick Room, Dazzling Gleam, Healing Wish, Wish, Heal Pulse, Misty Terrain, Psychic, Confusion, Moonblast, Icy Wind, Mimic, Calm Mind, Captivate, Stored Power, Nightmare, Hypnosis, Dream Eater, Future Sight, Heal Bell, Echoed Voice, Hyper Voice, Hyper Beam, Shadow Sneak, Disable, Confuse Ray, Encore, Imprison, Skill Swap, Destiny Bond, **____**Light Screen, Reflect, Protect, **____**Round**__

__**10- **____**Tasslehoff the Mismagius**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Levitate**__

__**Nature: Modest**__

__**Moves: **____**Spite, Confuse Rate, Scary Face, Mean Look. Toxic, Will o' Wisp, Hex, **____**Sucker Punch, Psybeam, Zap Cannon, Payback, Perish Song, Grudge, Pain Split, Power Gem, Astonish, Phantom Force, Mystical Fire, Magical Leaf, Lucky Chant, Torment, Thief, Trick Room, Dark Pulse, Curse, Torment, Memento, **____**Dream Eater, **____**Endure, Flash**__

__**11- **____**Brightscales (Bri) the shiny Milotic (Female)**__

__**Ability: Marvel Scale, Competitive, Cute Charm**__

__**Nature: Bold**__

__**Moves:**____**Splash, Tackle, Flail, Mud Sport, Hypnosis, Confuse Ray, Mirror Coat, Tickle, Haze, Mist, Dragon Pulse, Dragonbreath, Captivate, Brine, **____**Water Pulse, Aqua Ring, Recover, Disarming Voice, Refresh, Attract, Safeguard, Coil, Rain Dance, Surf, Scald, Ice Beam, Endure, Aqua Tail, **____**Dragon Tail, Wrap, **____**Round**__

**_**12- Legend the ? (Female)**_**

****Literally a legendary. Seriously. Its happening. Ella's ultimate goal for proof of her path to the world. Loses to Zaela a lot supposedly. For now. Possibly psychic or some mental ability.****


	17. Ch 17- Adept and Parents

**Alright. Time for the chapter I've both been excited and utterly frightened to write. This might be a long one. Reviews first!**

**A very special shout out to BANIX and their story _I Just Want To Travel The World._ They said some really flattering things about this story and I squeed a bit at being noticed by an author I adore reading anything they write. Go give it a look if you haven't read it. Part of it was definitely inspiration for some of what goes on in this mess of a story and they write much more coherently than I do for certain. Easily one of my top three pokémon stories period. All hail Fuzzy!**

**Creus- Glad you've enjoyed it! Was that an Undertale reference? If so, much adoration.**

**Deus Aut Bestia- Thanks! I had forgotten where that was at. Thank you immensely for reading!**

**Nene- If you recall they found the first stone on the opposite end of Zaela's baddad's mountain. Who knows what they might find if they beat the snot out of him? She's only ever going to get one legendary but man Darkrai would be neat wouldn't it? And yep! Bruno is kind of hard to write honestly. But fun. Thanks for reading!**

**frankieu- Brightscales is fun to write! I've wanted her around for forever. Baddad has it coming for sure. Thanks as always for reviewing and reading.**

**Blackwind 34- Thanks a ton for your words! I'm blushing again. I'm trying to update a bit more often but not as ridiculous as when I started this story. Enjoy fights that I've been dreaming of since before I put words to 'paper'.**

**zubhanwc3- Glad you enjoyed the chapter! As far as a psychic line there will be one in particular more than most but a lot of guardians will have custom partners. Also who said Cynthia was the second choice? They might just be good friends! Brightscales is fun and her nickname will be explained in time. The five years have to do with a lot of being busy after her plan comes off. Like immediately after. So she won't have time to commit to finding the legendary with how much things will change. Hopefully. I also don't see Zaela beating the legendary _just_ yet even if she defeats dear ol' dad in this chapter. As to your theory? No spoilers! So suppose we'll see! Thank you as always for reviewing.**

**Blaze2121- Tru doesn't know bone rush yet nope. Mostly an oversight on my part. So much to pay attention to. Some of the order will indeed have absol partners. They are one of my fav pokémon and Joker was almost one himself when I started imagining this story. Thanks for reading!**

**Jonathan-Mandrake- Hope you like the fight! More rough training ahead back at the Foundry. Thanks a ton for reading.**

**L'assassin orange- This made me all blushy. Thank you so much for reviewing and being so flattering. Ton of fighting in this chapter but I hope you like all the growth too! This story has a giant goal for Ella but its supposed to be all about the characters for sure. Thanks again!**

**Now. Onto the story!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything of pokémon. Just the ocs!**

* * *

Adept

When we planned this I was to do something I really didn't want to do, even if it made a lot of sense. All that 'sense' was a bitter taste in my mouth as I retreated from the cave and Angel teleported us away from the already bright fire that Zaela's sire started forming in his giant maw.

Our landing spot was some hundreds of yards away on the opposing Valley's edge. Even from that far away I could hear the cave collapsing as Zaela brought her father's house down around him. Fights between dragons rarely involve anything but brute strength but there is a very large bit of pride forming in my chest at the idea of my sister dropping a mountain on her father.

I can only imagine what is going on for about a minute, Angel nervously sending me soothing emotions and confidence in Zaela's strength. Ideally her father would never be able to use his wings. Zaela might be quite a bit more skilled in flight but there is a reason charizard are classified as flying types.

Another minute passes and I start to hope a bit more that things will go towards our most ambitious hopes. Of _course_ they are dashed the moment I bring them up. The massive charizard that caused Zaela's early years to be full of fire dreams rips his way from the mountain with a roar that echoes throughout the entire Valley. There never was much hope to keep this fight a secret. Even from here I can feel the pressure of the two powerful dragons unleashing their fury on each other. My blue-black dragon follows her father out, dragon pulse after dragon pulse tracing along the massive fire lizard's wings, attempting to limit his speed.

Baddad is strong enough he can fly as a dragon does without much actual wing movements but his wings make his maneuvers greater than anything Zaela can match. If it came to the air (and we both believed it would) then she was to snipe at him constantly while unfortunately tanking or deflecting his attacks.

I almost imagine I hear his breath inhaling as white hot flame gathers in his mouth. Flame bursts that look like fire blasts explode around Zaela, causing her to waver and dip in the air so that the flamethrower he sends engulfs her completely. My starter doesn't even have time to blunt it with a stone edge with how swift the combo comes. Zaela might be _very_ resistant to fire but the power behind it does more than just burn. It explodes and sends her crashing hard into the side of his volcano.

Years of constant fighting mean Zaela is up in an instant but I can tell she's a bit rattled at how easily her massive form was tossed from the sky. Despite the grim situation I'm highly amused that she wraps a flamethrower around her body in a bastardized Dragon Blitz. Her father is a bit shocked that his next blast of searing flame is blunted so heavily that his rough skinned daughter hammers into his form without pause or any hint of slowed momentum. The crack of their bodies colliding hits my perch like a small earthquake and Angel keeps a firm grip on me with her psychic hold from that point on.

The first of the Valley's inhabitants flies up into the sky to watch the battle in its center. I ignore as more and more arrive but my senses tell of their invested interest in daughter versus father. After all, a new ruler of the Valley may be crowned. That she is not a charizard does not matter in truth. Only her strength.

Zaela stubbornly refuses to let her father dictate where she will be. Every attempt to fly away from her results in a crunch on a body part that he has to hammer her with scale rending slashes. Every curving attempt to peel off is met with carefully prepared rock slides to foul his chosen path but cost her another brutal wing attack that snaps up shockwaves with the force behind them. Every attempt for her to set up a stealth rock or stone edge are met with pin point focus blasts or embers the size of normal flame bursts. Every single time she tries to control the terrain her father simply blows it away.

It costs him though. Out of all my family Query is the worst to find yourself up close to but Zaela is a very, very close second. Massive as he is she's larger. His claws are brutal and sharp but hers are meant to rend and damage far more than his. Even as much as I dislike him I wince when one of her dual claws enforced by a slash tears fully through his wing and down, cutting through the entire flesh and making it a flapping, awkward mess. She's kicked away for the attack but he can't muster up the speed to truly escape her anymore.

My eyes widen and Zaela lets out a roar of annoyance as he turns his head, snaps the wing and burns the tear closed without hesitation. Every attack he's made forms its own sunny day as the air distorts constantly, both of them a blur as they come together again. Zaela used the brief moment of recovery to bring up stealth rocks out of his vision and hides it with dragon breath and double teams.

A quick heat wave erases her clones but it doesn't matter as he dodges away from her next rush. The stealth rocks activate and she stays in close so he doesn't see them until its too late. Mid air he turns in a rapid circle and drops, steel wings, claws and a massive crunch take care of all but two of the stealth rocks but the giant sound of pain he makes at the last two crushing one of his wings fills me with such savage need to cry out with victory. Its not over but that had to have eroded a bit of his spirit.

Zaela has come far. She still has a crippling weakness to ice but fairy and dragon moves really have no sway over her. The tone of the fight changes as she descends upon her father with the full force of her newfound strength. Five or so months of constant training have built upon all that we worked for in the seven years she and I have been joined. Never has she forgotten her first true lesson though. A wave of water explodes from the cliff she's tossed her father at. From the very start she has been pulling the water from the bottom of the valley upwards. Energy she would usually use to keep up a sandstorm has been forming a tube in the cliff with earth power and dragging her first real attack upwards until she has the ancient charizard in position.

The wall of water crests and its almost comical as he turns to watch it crash down. Brief flashes of deep orange scales and heavy curses of pain follow as he's dragged out of control into the valley. My starter thrusts stone edges from the cliff face to batter him further and keep his body out balance in a way Query would admire. The crowning point of the attack is the snarl of anger as Zaela continuously shoots down dragon pulses to keep him from gliding out of the attack. Moments pass as the heavy impact of tons of water and rock bury her father in ruins.

I'm sure its not over. There isn't a chance this was enough just yet and I'm right. Zaela knew it too so she dodges the incoming attack even if I can feel shock from her at the power associated with it. Blast burn isn't something I've seen yet in this world. Its just, if not more so, as dangerous as a hyper beam and currently Query and Zaela are the only two of my team I let take hits from them without heavy light screens. The light from the blast burn is so very bright it is almost a flash attack from how much it strobes. A star of fire is at the core of the attack and every inch of the line of damage causes an explosion.

Zaela's attack wrecked most of the cliff face but the remains simply cease to be at her father's anger. Heavily damaged and with both his wings shredded her sire springs upwards into the air without pause. Draconic energy pulses in waves to keep him afloat and with barely any rest another blast burn forms. Zaela dives down and dodges most of it but even with her severe resistance to fire the beam tosses her around like a fly in a hurricane. Showing incredible control, even in his anger, her father trains the attack onto her the moment she's even remotely sent off balance and this time my starter is slammed into the cliff face.

Of course she immediately dives in but it looks like she's being burned alive. Her father curses hard as the fire finally begins to subside and starts to pump himself up in some manner I don't recognize and more massive flame bursts begin to play battleship with Zaela's position within the cliff walls.

Without emerging Zaela begins tossing rock slides, stone edges and occasional double teams. Any double team that is hit provokes her giant mouth to expose itself for a split second and another dragon pulse to fire out. Her father may be able to fly but his ability to turn on a dime is completely lost. About a year ago my whole team could barely take on a monster of a dragon who we knew how to fight. Her father is more powerful than Momma certainly. But. But. Zaela was a gabite then almost as large as her mother.

Every single day has been a trial for her. Losing constantly to Aurora. Five months of fighting gyarados, charizard and Mars in his mega form. I realize then that she probably bugged Mars for so many battles to prepare for today. Bruno nearly broke my starter with how much he added to her already bone shattering training. Rose constantly scolded my starter for sometimes an hour to take it easier but me? I knew she would never relent. I didn't know it was for this specifically but all I can feel from her, even as far away from me as she is physically, is the single overriding desire to prove herself. Not for approval from her father but to know that she could defeat the echoes of her past.

Every inhabitant of the Valley, old and new watch without speaking, the cracks of power that could take any of them out easily begin to reshape the area as if a force of nature. I ignore Charla winging in with Rose and Liza landing next to me just as I ignored my whole team releasing themselves minutes before that. My eye is only for Zaela. To watch her take her place in the world in earnest.

Her father inhales deeply and fire bakes the cliff face in a wide, napalm like spray. The heat is so intense I can feel Zaela's anger at how the rock begins to melt. She slips up and out of the top only to pull more of the almost lava-like rock to pelt her sire as she begins her next run. As if he doesn't need to breathe more and more heat races at my sister. The pain is fully engulfing her from the way her aura screams but at the same time there is such joy. No one on our team truly pushes her in the way she desires. Mars stops before they get fully injured and Aurora just has too much of a one sided advantage. For now.

Here, with her father, she finds someone who will leave her a ruin on the ground unless she does the same to him. Ignoring the flames her massive head impacts her sire's chest as he brings dragon claws down to rip into her. Blood drips from the sky like rain and hisses as it makes contact with the still burning ground. There is no real strategy from Zaela's father as she drives him up against the cliff again. Just to savage his daughter for daring to challenge him. That is his weakness though. He has no trainer. No other types to regularly force him to adapt new ways of attacking. Just charizard after charizard.

No inspiration from Mars to hide draco meteors in burning rocks. No constant defeat to make victory that much more of a goal. No learning how to sacrifice to secure a sure strike. Zaela roars louder and louder, screaming at her father with the anger of someone who simply wanted to _know_ her other half of origin. Her father rips at her shoulders to weaken her attacks and detract from her own ability to fly. She lets him to stab both her claws into his sides and bring him in close as if embracing him. Much as she set up Momma over a year past she turns him around as her meteors drag molten earth up with them. His body starts to shake as he desperately attempts to break free but my starter just digs in further and her jaw grips her father's neck in the crunch she so loves to use.

Both are tossed about the sky as Zaela pulls all of her anger and dissatisfaction into a unending determination to keep her father in her sighs. Every draco meteor lands as she displays just how far she's come with the attack that was so key to defeating Momma. She pays for it with a bloody midsection, a mauled arm and a heavily damaged head as her father continues to struggle madly.

But every meteor hits. The last drives them into the ground and through cherry hot earth, cartwheeling the entire way. Zaela never lets go until she's over him. Her head leans back and she brings it back down in the mother of all head butts straight into his gut. Wounded, nearly broken, he still stands up, one eye closed in a mess and an arm joining his wings as obviously hurt beyond use. The death aura he holds about him parts in such pride I gasp out loud. For a moment I hope that perhaps, just maybe, he'll take the beating and respect whom has given him it.

Its not to be. Not today.

"_King! King! KING! KING! KING!" _The Valley roars. Admiration. Awe. Submission and acceptance. All resound in every voice as they let out their choice of leader. For a split second her father thinks it is himself. His one good eye moves upwards, watching his fellow fire dragons gaze at his daughter. Downward he views the gyarados calling up to the sky, reveling in the power Zaela has displayed.

Pride for her dies as pride for himself is shamed. There is no lesson he will learn today, just yet. Zaela has spent months working with them. Teaching them how to fight others. How to grow strong like her as well as let them see how she has gained from them. She is King. And he is nothing. That is what I feel compared to the speck of emotion he had for my sister.

Anger explodes from him as his tail bursts into a flame that is almost as tall as himself. The heat burns him just as much as it empowers him and its easy to see why Zaela dreamed so long of fire. My starter is dead tired, burned and has to have much of her body broken but she doesn't hesitate an instant. Before the blast burn to end all fire attacks starts she ducks in and snaps his mouth closed and her claw comes down and up, straight into her father's gut, skewering him with no sense of mercy.

The fire dies as her father sputters, eye open with complete surprise as Zaela tosses his body to the ground and steps over his wound with her foot. A dragon pulse forms at point blank and she shatters him. Over and over she lets her rage empty upon her father until he's still. Alive. Barely. I can feel how she kept his wound from spilling blood with her foot and each pulse broke his bones but not his organs. She's gotten very good at holding back in ways she wishes.

There are words spoken I don't learn about till later.

"_Look at you father. Ancient. Without equal." _Spite laces Zaela's tone, bitter and angry. _"Beaten by a seven year old. Speak up dearest father. Tell me that your way is right. Give me a reason to kill my kin."_

Silence, broken by wheezing coughs of bloody lungs.

"_Look at what my family has created. Do you hear then chanting what I am? King. Of all that you thought yours. Fuck you. They feared you. Now they revere me. Because I am not alone. They are all mine. My sister is mine. My family is MINE! You however! Nothing! Pathetic! Weak and alone!"_

Roaring she pulls her foot free and sears his wound closed, the heat of her flamethrower almost a match for his as she realizes where her fire comes from. Rage, anger and the complete knowledge that she is made from it. The scream her father gives makes my starter satisfied in a way I am not fully comfortable with but still. She is a dragon and her enemy is ruined.

"_This is mine now! My Valley! Mine! Flee, father, and do not return until you are not this. I am no longer your daughter. Come back something else if you dare. Come back the same and the death you don't deserve will be my final gift. Don't speak. You had years to do that. Seek to harm anything under my care and I shall drag your half-dead corpse to the world to show what it means to defy Zaela! I AM KING!"_

My sister's spirit soars, all the anguish and desire she had to know her father is wiped away by the gift she truly considers given by him. That he is nothing compared to what he helped create. She owes him nothing now. Dragons overcome dragons to become stronger. Now she has surpassed both of her parents. One is rejected. One is still beloved.

"_ZAELA! KING! ZAELA! KING!" _The sound is deafening as her father picks himself up, barely. Blood covers both of them and his eyes do not waver from his daughter, rejected as he is by her. For a long minute everything seems to stay still as he finally lowers his head and carries himself to the sky, barely able to stay in the air. His aura reads of coldness still but also a hint of confusion. As if he can't imagine this is real. Zaela sets her face to the sun and roars again to her first new subjects. Converts. Worshipers.

She is battered, broken and much of her self is lost from grieving for a father she never had but nothing stops the sound of my starter becoming all that was promised at her birth. Only when her former kin is a spec in the distance does she thrust herself into the sky and land in front of me.

"_I did it."_

"Of course you did sister. You showed the world who you are." My eye is wet as I move my hand up as she bends to let me rub one of the few spaces on her hide that isn't damaged. My palm becomes raw instantly but I don't care.

"_Its your turn now my heart." _Tears really go down as she speaks and I nod swiftly, our family silent behind me.

"Yes. It is."

Later

Needless to say we had to stay a bit longer. Zaela has never been so wounded or exhausted. I'm not really paying attention to her injuries, mostly because Rose will tell us both all about them later. Which is good. You only get angry at someone's health like she does if you care about the idiot who got hurt.

The Valley becomes a party of sorts over the course of the rest of the day as my starter obtains her birthright. King pokémon tend to be leaders of their species but Zaela is special. Of course she is. Something changed in her fight. The last gift from her father, even if he didn't mean to give it. Fire is finally a part of her just as dragon is a part of Mars. And with it? The key to her weakness. Or at least we hope. She's got some recovery first.

The gyarados and charizard gather together before her after Rose works her magic. No one speaks to me just yet about what happens. Liza, because the emotions rolling about us are almost overwhelming in the respect and reverence the pokémon have for my sister and Rose because I can feel how utterly annoyed she is that both Zaela and I appear to not care a whit at how close she was to dying.

Rose will learn how dragons work eventually. Our family is uncharacteristically silent as they each seem to reevaluate how they view Zaela. She's always been the strongest of us overall but watching her achieve something she's desired since she knew who her sire was and the subsequent uplifting of her _name_ has most of them questioning a lot of previous notions.

Aurora is simply very proud. Worried, but utterly sure that this is what Zaela's destiny is. Query is not sure if he can stand on her level anymore and it brings quite the conflict within him to get stronger in new ways. Mars, actually, admires her not for her power but for the conviction that he so readily finds in himself. There is, also, just the tiniest bit of desire that has me sighing.

Tass is even more terrified of her but also feels a bit of remorse for thinking her just a simple brute. Not that he'd ever admit it. Wattson wonders if he'll ever find something that powerful to believe in but also doesn't seem to change his opinion of Zaela at all. Joker's response is to worry endlessly that he can't imitate her properly now because she's so far out of his power level. Hah.

Sunny and Tru are the most dramatic though not unexpected. Sunny simply moves up and puts her ribbons around Zaela without one hint of fear or hesitation. Zaela's eye tears up just a bit and all I can feel is Sunny's sorrow that Zaela doesn't have a father who loved her. Even if Sunny's father gave her up to me she knew that it was out of a desire to see his child become better. Zaela gives my sylveon the gentlest of hugs and goes back to watching her new subjects or whatever they are fight each other in pure joy at how pumped up they are. Junkies.

Tru? Tru sits by Zaela's side and says only one thing. Zaela and Tru have never really seen eye to eye because of their natures. Tru is very much about serving others and Zaela lives to become strong and hoard what is hers.

"_Well done."_

Simple words, but coming from Tru it also hits my starter harder than expected.

As for Angel? She simply treats Zaela as if nothing happened. That her friend did something amazing but at her core, Zaela was still the same. My sister is just a little miffed at that, her pride pricked, but considering Angel _loves_ her just as much as the rest of it its hard for her to get riled up more than being a little pouty.

The night passes with everyone beating each other to a pulp in what I'm certain will become a party tradition. More goodbyes are said along with Rose glaring a bit at me but ultimately it helps the Foundry immensely.

Its one thing to find trainers bringing in new people to fight but a King dethroning the asshole in the volcano? I get messages not even a week later that almost every single charizard in the valley has started training with the Order.

Bruno is overjoyed. Or so I hope. Oh? His response to Zaela's victory? A brief smile and a nod. I'm setting Tass on him the next time I'm back home. Because that is what the Foundry is now. My new home. Now I just have to say goodbye to my old one.

Lastly, Mars and I search the dormant volcano after Zaela opens it back up. At the heart of her father's den is what I had hoped. What Mars was certain was there. Baddad was made of fire. The mega stones we find there are too. And there are enough to change the course of any battle. We keep one, obviously, but the rest go to the Foundry.

Now though. Finally. Back to the Den and Mom.

Dragon's Den

Angel doesn't have the Den memorized for a teleport but flying on Mars gives me time to reflect anyway so I'm not too upset. Zaela will need roughly two weeks to fully recover anyway even with the ridiculousness that is pokémon healing. Full Restores are insane but there were _holes_ in her skin and muscles. Replacing them was easy. Making sure they can stand up to her power takes a bit more time.

Mars has things to tell me along the way anyway.

"_This is it. Isn't it? Saying goodbye and all that to Grandmother. I know how much our family is shaped by dragon behavior but you and Zaela seem so bittersweet about it. If you could explain this Mother? I don't quite grasp it."_

"Some of it is dragons and hardship, certainly. A lot of it is Mom's gift to me. The moment she saw how serious I was about my dream she put me through such painful preparation. Whatever she has planned for us when we get there is more of the same but on a bigger scale. Defeating Momma last year made her realize that what she was doing wasn't enough. At least that's how her aura felt like."

I have been talking with her a lot over the year by way of calls and short emails. All of them suggest that she's been working hard to give me one final test of sorts. Knowing Hannah Mita, it will be both a learning experience and reassurance for herself. That I can stand on my own against the world.

"If I'm to affect change as I wish we're going to go through a lot. You've been spoiled a bit Mars. Even as hard as all of us push each other we've been blessed with relatively little true violence." Just the Rocket Base, really. The odd thugs don't count compared to the murder and torture Rockets are known for. "I'm sure mom will always have our backs if we really need it but to gain the power we need? It'll have to be away from the Den. For good."

"_I suppose that makes sense. Its just...Angel has been helping me understand things in different ways. You love your mother more than just about anything. Save us. Perhaps it is the influence of this life. I've never been without you Mother. I could not imagine saying goodbye to you."_

Oh. That hit right in the feels. My hand moves down to stroke his neck and shoulder as we fly ever closer to Mom. "If I thought you needed it or you wanted it I'd let you go. Mom is just doing the same thing. Most trainers go on a journey and return home to start in a career they find on their journey. I'm doing the same. Sadly there's no guidebook for my path. Besides, you can't fool me Mars. The Foundry speaks to you."

At that he remains silent. Mars did indeed seem to enjoy what is being built in the Valley. Once our league was done we'd be moving there pretty permanently. And not just because Zaela has claimed it as her realm. Territory. Kingdom? Alright, I'm going to have to tease her about this later.

Winging into the Den leads to a lot of reunions. The first are the various dragons guarding the Den. All are quite pleased to see me and wing along with Mars, chattering as much as dragons do.

Okay fine. They are gossips in all walks of life. I'm given a lot of ammo. Its delicious. While I desperately want to see my family and Momma I know the first place to go.

Aaron Royce is adorable. He's around six but looks a bit under that. Our healing of him months ago caused years of sickness to fade and give him a perfectly healthy body. He's just small for his age. Tasslehoff is in my shadow but all of his focus is on the boy we're watching run around in the grass and make explodey sounds as if he's fighting robots. Or maybe evil knights. Dreadful pirates? Whatever it is I can't help but grin at how much Tass wants to know him but is terrified that he'd scare the child.

"I know you weren't ready when we left Mahogany, but if you want to spend time with him I'm pretty good at putting people at ease." Translation: Have Angel or Tru assure people my monsters are not overly dangerous.

"_Aren't you afraid I'll choose to stay with him?"_ That's a good question actually. He joined up with me very easily due to his desire to find a way for his sorrowful existence help the world at large. Its working, slowly. Rose was rather amazed at the possibilities and Doctor Bell was almost ready to move to the Foundry full time.

"If that's what you want, sure. We both know that your method of healing isn't anywhere ready for you alone to do it. But...If you want us to set up a way for you to come visit him often? That'd be great. I know things are not exactly ideal with us Tass but we _do_ want you along." The months of training had brought us together more as a team but the interpersonal aspect still hasn't quite hit Tass. Even Bri has gotten along easier despite her loner sort of attitude at times.

"_Let's make sure he doesn't run for the hills at the sight of me then we can decide." _Back into my shadow he goes. Wonder if its comfortable there. I know that most of the Den looks after all the children of the Clan but mom wrote that Aaron looks to a couple who never had children, herself and Momma. Yep. Apparently once Momma heard that I sent Aaron here she was all for trying to turn another human into a dragon.

Walking up to Aaron is pretty amazing as his aura tells me he already knows I've been watching him. He's curious about me but kept to his playing. That is absolutely Momma's doing to get him to know fully his surroundings. Of course I was just talking out loud too. Might be over thinking it. When I come closer and he finally takes a peek at me there is immediate recognition.

"You're Ella! Momma talks about you a lot! Uhm. I mean. Well. Lucario says that's what she means." Oh? I suppose it is wise to send Joy's lucario to make sure that Aaron and Momma get along fairly well. I was a bit of a special case. "Brent and Meera said you were the one who saved me! Thanks!"

Brent is one of the salamence riders if I recall and his wife works with the league in some way if I recall. I only sorta know Brent from visits to deliver things to my father. Aaron has overly messy hair that I know comes from exploring Momma's territory, deep green eyes and a wide smile. There is such pure excitement at living in him. Considering how his life was before? I get it.

"That's right. Ella Mita. Did your uhm...parents? Caretakers? Actually what do you call Brent and Meera?"

"Welllll. They are kind of like a mom and dad but we just got to know each other. Momma is Momma's name so I can call her that! Even if she isn't my actual momma. I think. You're her kid right?" Lots of curiosity now.

"Sort of. But you should always just say yes to her requests. Safer that way. Don't be afraid to stand up to her if you believe something fully though. I'm forgetting though! I came to introduce someone. Not myself!"

Two eyes focus on my single one with more interest. The few letters I've gotten about Aaron tell of just a tad bit of trouble. He was so confined to the hospital that he doesn't really have instincts to be a bit wary of others. Reminds me of early Sunny problems come to think of it. "Who? Is it another dragon? Gym Leader Mit-Oh! That's your mom mom isn't it? You have the same last name!"

I might have giggled here. Shut up journal-kun. "That she is. But my friend is a bit scary. Most of my pokémon are a bit intimidating but they are all quite kind." Slight lie here. Zaela is not overly friendly and Tass still has issues but its mostly true. Right. "This one though...He helped save your life. But he's also a ghost and just a tad worried you wouldn't like him. I think he's being silly since you've lived with dragons for a while now!"

Aaron is showing his indoctrination quite well as he puffs up his chest and attempts a serious face. "Of course I can be brave! Momma was very scary at first but now I know she just wants me to be strong. Everyone here does." Shit. Shit. Sniffles. Crap. Uhm. No...No distraction. Work through it Ella.

"Yeah. I bet that means a lot considering how you lived before. Its okay to let it out Aaron." There are a few minutes here where this poor child gives thanks for the life he almost didn't have. Which fucking sucks. That he already knows so much about death.

Tasslehoff peeks his hat out of my shadow and darts back down anytime Aaron catches a glimpse. Its a simple game but it lightens the mood as he tosses a few low powered mystical flames and juggles them about behind me. I act like I don't know what is going on and turn around to see what Aaron is looking at _just_ as Tass stops his show. This goes on until Aaron is giggling himself and I ruffle his hair.

"This guy is Tasslehoff….And he's been around a long time. Way, way long ago he was one of your great great great...A whole bunch of great grandmother's pokémon. You could say he's a part of your family." Aaron seems to get that a bit and his aura turns equal parts excited, scared and nervous. "Ever since you were born he was trying to cure your illness. And he succeeded. Moreso than I ever did."

Its true, really. If he hadn't been there, waiting I wouldn't have found Aaron. Sometimes I am so very happy with how Fate set things up. Tass rises from my shadow and hums a greeting to Aaron with more friendliness than I've even remotely seen him display since I met him. It makes sense. This is the last of his beloved trainer's line. And turning point of his life. He speaks a bit then looks to me to translate.

"Tass wants me to let you know that you have a lot of the same features as his trainer. That you're the spitting image of her second son and that he's been proud to see you grow up so well. He..." I glare at him but he insists. " He also wants to say he's so very sorry that he couldn't help you sooner and that while he'd love to spend time with you he understands if you don't want to be around him."

Aaron just tilts his head in that adorable way kids and puppies do to make you sell your soul for whatever it is they want after. "I dun get that. He's a ghost! They dun save people until him right? Your mom told me it was incredible how I got better so...Uhm." Hands go out in the clear 'hug me' sign and my ghost loses himself. His aura pulses with remorse and a firmness to do better. Floating slowly he makes himself tangible as much as he can and hums lowly as Aaron tugs him about.

"Tass? Want to play with me? Momma teaches me a lot but most of it is kind of scary. Even if you're spooky I think we can have fun right?" Twisting his body back and forth shyly destroys both Tass and my ability to do anything but inwardly squee and I leave my ghost to heal his heart. Once dreadfully afraid of letting himself love his late trainer's descendants, Tass' heart pulls a grinch and grows three times, ten times. Over the next few weeks before our fight he spends every waking hour he can with Aaron. The boy takes to enjoying having Tass in his shadow and I'm a bit worried I'm going to lose Tass save for the fact that he comes back each night and demands even more time learning to use his otherworldly form to save lives. Joy takes him under her wing while there and her lucario helps streamline our current method to use pain split.

Ultimately Tass and Aaron choose to have a receiver set up so Tass can visit often. Aaron adores my ghost but Momma makes it pretty clear she's going to choose dragons for her new human. Tass is actually a bit relieved. While he's learning again how to be around humans, he's a bit too adult in his thoughts and sense of humor for Aaron's good. We agree to revisit him being Aaron's pokémon when he's around thirteen or so.

Speaking of visiting. The first week has both Joker and Sunny taking a trip to Oak's Ranch to visit his family and Latias respectfully. Latias has become almost beloved by the ranch in general for her easy demeanor, joy at life and the ability to get to the heart of matters save for the occasional dark type. The good Professor has sent me a lot of research he's been gathering which is a bit over my head but Mars has spent a worrying amount of time pouring over it. Seriously. If he learns out how to turn invisible somehow I will go into the mountains and become a hermit.

Joker spends the entire time there searching out places for emergency dens and getting to know his family. All but one oddish have evolved as far as they can without evolution stones and I promise him the next we come across will go straight to his family. Later I find out that while he was there he more or less took over control of some various bullies by disguising himself as them and slowly fooling them into a battle royale in front of Professor Oak's dragonite. Said dragon took offense and beat the snot out of them. When the idiots came out of their unconsciousness they found Joker over them with warnings to fall in line or he'd introduce them to an even less kind dragon.

The various dark/ghosts types that were the bullies were so impressed with his trickery that they followed him around for the rest of the week and took it upon themselves to join his little family as guards and trainers while he's away. I couldn't help but think of him in one of his formal vests that Aurora tends to put on him with all the new recruits bowing and calling him 'senpai' left and right.

So I might be a bit of a coward. I visited Joy next and had a long conversation about riolu and lucario in regards to what I've learned. Visiting the twins as well was really, really interesting. They have stronger aura than me. Its a bit more generalized but that might be because I heavily focused mine on support. They'll be stronger than me when they grow up. Probably be able to take on mid-level pokémon without an issue. Joy and Becca still haven't said if they want them to train for the Order but I can feel they just want to see what their kids want first.

Still a coward. The next visit was to Momma. Zaela went with me along with Mars and it was...Shit. Crying a bit. Momma has changed so much and not at all. She still growled and demanded we respect her as this was her territory but after it was done she looked around, carefully making sure none of the other elder dragons was nearby then dragged both of us into the equivalent of a hug. Really just a sand tomb with all of us buried (me carefully with just my head and shoulders above ground) and the thrumming sound she makes when she's happy. She nuzzled Zaela quite a bit but was careful not to tear my skin up when she butted me with her head.

"_Daughters. Good. Back. Strong and powerful. I've missed you both." _Then her eyes widened as she sniffed hard at Zaela and the thrumming was even more powerful. It was almost shaking me free of the tomb and back up onto the ground. _"Fought your sire. Good. Now that you have defeated both of us I can teach you more. Elder things. Pink daughter can stay. She is your second half. Do not tell anyone else though."_

Sorry journal-kun. That means you too. I will give a hypothetical though. Know how in some stories a legendary or whatever just doesn't seem to take damage from anything? Even super effective attacks? Well after a certain level of ability pseudo-legendaries have the same option. Its not as strong as it would be for a legendary but Momma more or less thinks Zaela won't have that restriction. King after all. I stay to learn the secret then let Momma start conditioning Zaela for the process. Its finally starting. Soon, perhaps in a year or two, Zaela won't have her crippling weakness to ice anymore. Or at least dialed down enough that only legendaries of ice will threaten her.

After that I let out my team to explore the Den, especially those who haven't been here before. I shamelessly give Tru the job of showing them off and stop being a coward. Angel alone comes with me as I head home after almost a full year away. Part of me wants to find out why Aurora is yelling at Wattson behind me and why Query suddenly has the urge to find some sausages. But no. Its time to see mom before she becomes my enemy. The Silver Conference isn't at all the fight I'm worried about.

Our home has changed a lot since I got Zaela. Most of the two story building is dwarfed by a huge add-on that looks like a garage that would serve several houses. Instead it can contain most of my team and mom's. Kingdra is already waiting for me and his aura has such love and welcome in it that I can't help but hug him, not caring that I'm crying all over his scales. He just blows light bubbles into my hair like he did to make me laugh as a child. Angel introduces herself in her unique way and Kingdra is just proud that I gathered such a strong teammate. I leave her to draw embarrassing stories from mother's starter as I pull out my key and enter. I can feel mom in my room and dad in the kitchen.

I hesitate a moment then enter the kitchen first to see dad pouring over some gadget as he looks up at me. "Hello there Ella Bella. If you would leave your shoes there?" Okay. He's noticed me. And yeah best not to track mud in from Momma's den. Once I'm done he moves close to lay a hand on my shoulder. "You got bigger. Hmm. I'll get some more backpacks ready for you. Your mother is waiting for you upstairs. Best not keep her."

That's it? A year gone and 'go see your mother'. Not a word about my team. My chosen family. Watching his back hits me hard. I don't like reading mom and dad as they tended to be fairly lusty early in my life. Mostly mom but I pull hard to see what dad feels. Satisfaction? A bit of affection and a surprising amount of worry. Love there too but its...So muted. I would have been happy with a simple hug. Fuck. He loves me but...I mean. Just...show it. Just a bit. Forget it. Gotta get to mom. Not more of the same with dad. Of our disconnect. Maybe I just can't read him correctly.

Finding my room unchanged isn't surprising. What is surprising is mom's new look. She looks like Lance looks like in the games. A cape with a full combat outfit. Her hair is pulled high similar to mine but lets more hair down and about as if it were a crown. Given her status she could probably get away with a true crown. I'm worried she's going to insist we fight immediately before she wraps me in her arms and we're both crying just a little.

"I've missed you Ella. I know what is to be. I know what we both must do but until you are ready to face Hannah Mita, Gym Leader, I would love for you to simply spend time with your mom."

I can barely speak and just nod my face into her arms. We don't talk for a while, just letting our hearts remember what it is to be near each other.

"Zaela took on her dad. She can't fight for a week or so. I'd like our battle to be a week after that if you don't mind? I've so much to tell you of the Foundry and my team."

Mom just grins and strokes my hair as she looks me over, seeing those little things that moms everywhere can suss out of their children like magic. Angel picks that time to pop into existence next to us and immediately bombards mom with images of me , good and bad, from when she first started watching us to the day before we arrived. She immediately has mom's instant approval as my gardevoir refuses to hide anything, sensing just how much my mother worries about me. I have a few things to explain, like taking on a lake full of sea monsters...Lake monsters? Also I get teased a bit by how Rose seems to like me but most of it is just talking about my family.

Its a long, long day and night and we fall asleep in my bed.

The next two weeks pass by far too quick after that. Training is light but plans are hatched as I note every one of my mom's team tends to be more often at home. They all look stronger and give me wicked grins when I come to talk to them. I mean her full team too. Over the years gym leaders tend to collect a lot of pokémon. She has over twenty dragons she can call on for upper level fights though only eight of those are truly monsters. The few hours a day I train is with my team and Momma. Aaron adores the battles that we go through and its easy to see where his life is going. A trainer who can explore the world indeed.

When Sunny and Joker come back we start in earnest, focusing hard on teamwork as much as individual power. Months of effort with Bruno have our one on one potential pretty down so we take time to review what our true strength is. Team tactics. Joker is the most inventive here and its downright scary what he's come up with since coming to the team. Tass still focuses on being Angel's wingman. She's utterly capable by herself offensively but her priorities will always be support and healing. Query barely actually fights when we train like this. His mega form only lends more and more ability to control eleven (including me) teammates who can respond at the speed of thought to his overwatch.

Mars shows more and more of his tricks, especially in his two mega forms though we'll likely be only using x for now. The ability to overpower a draco meteor is too big of a deal. Zaela's method of being able to bring her full power into one strike has infected Mars a bit. He's mastered ancient power as draco meteors and that's just one of his many, many projects. He spends a lot of time with Dad but I don't ask about it. I'm petty and bitter still. Yeah I know it. Just don't care all that much. Or too much. Whichever.

Aurora and Zaela focus more on defense of others as they can so easily create terrain and various barriers. Sunny is the queen of this as when directed by Query and the images he gets from everyone involved make me really want to make a joke about Pein that no one will understand. Wattson, Tru and Joker are still mostly single target specialists but gain a lot of practice in defending that will be nasty, nasty surprises to foes. Finally, Brightscales. She's not stopped for an instant since we got her. After the initial tour and introductions she's spent every moment trying to get to our level.

The results are amazing and she's easily the best team player. Not in power or ability but in pure willingness to help the rest of the team. We're the team she believes deserves her so she's become downright scary at taking hits that would drop many others of our team. The combos she suggested as well? Oh my.

The last night before my battle with mom I take my entire team home and let them get to know her as she is to me. The caring woman who lets me stand on my own. The one who adores spas and will go out of her way to make sure we visit any we even hear rumors over. A woman who will become a murder in a moment if I am harmed in earnest. The flawed person who can't seem to truly push dad to be more for me. Though that is just my own feelings. Its far more complicated and I'm a bit ashamed at how I feel...But its there.

My family meets my mom after weeks with Momma and those who haven't known her see how much I am her daughter. My first six stay close, knowing that we'll be saying goodbye soon. Aurora cooks and mom can't stop laughing as we get a second show of Ice Hell's Kitchen as Wattson calls it.

I sleep well, wrapped in her arms. Home will always be here but I think I might have grown up just a bit too fast for her.

Gym Leader

The Den was here. All of it. From smallest hatchling to Momma. The clearing mom picked was far away from any home and was cleared out for this purpose. Part of a river ran through the battlefield and large rocks littered the area. It was a terrain that looked like it was made to be harsh to train in. Many, many psychic pokémon were set up near where everyone had gathered to watch us. The barriers were so common and powerful that they refracted light slightly even when not taking damage.

Hannah Mita. Gym Leader and Clan Matriarch stood in front of me. No referee appeared to be nearby and if there were cameras to record this I couldn't find them. I don't know what my mother planned but it must be….Special.

"Daughter. Ella Mita of Blackthorn. This is yours."

A Rising Badge is tossed to me and I catch it, my eye wide a bit before I wait for the catch.

"There is nothing here that you don't know. The fight against the elder Garchomp a year past would have given you this badge. However. The Dragon's Den is mostly undeground and our Clan make their homes around the entrance or within if given enough prestige. Beyond the waterfall lies something more. A Holy Land for all dragons. I offer you this. Face me and I will take you there. Merely accept your badge and you will forever be barred from the Holy Land so long as I am the Leader here."

This isn't my mother. Not at all. She knows well I wouldn't leave here without fighting her deal or no deal. This is for the clan to know that she would never go easy on anyone. My musing is cut a bit short as she drops the true hammer. But also a huge advantage for me.

"You have eleven pokémon. If you wish to visit the Dragon Holy Land then you must face eleven of my team all at once with your whole team. You've chosen to become a trainer to act as a team before all else. Eleven versus eleven. Prove to me that you can walk this dangerous path you've chosen. Only then will I find you worthy."

Shit. This is what she's been training all year. To break my team at what we're the best at. I have a huge advantage here. Almost half my team are very, very good against dragons. But. This is Hannah Mita. The strongest gym leader of Johto. Already I'm thinking of possibilities. Her eyes stare down at my own and she just raises an eyebrow, waiting for my reply.

"Of course I'll accept your challenge. Always. Don't expect this to go as you would like...Gym Leader."

Mother just smiles faintly and turns to walk to her side of the field. Her voice carries back with one last warning. "Treat this like that Base Angel showed me or you will fail. Good fight, challenger."

My hands are shaking as I reach my post and I can't help but let those words shake down my spine. I'm going to have to have no mercy. The distant pops of pokéballs turn my head to see who she has picked.

Two dragonite, an altaria, salamence, Kingdra, an alolan exeggutor that I've never seen before, hydreigon unusually calm, goodra, noivern, kommo-o and a haxorus. All feel determined and burst at the seams with aura and confidence. It goes further as both salamence and altaria mega evolve with burst of light. My breath catches as I shake off the instant of true intimidation.

The dings of my team releasing themselves pull my head back in the game and I can feel Query already discarding hundreds of plans as he nudges my mind to reach for my key stone. Mars, my guy and Angel are pulled into their most powerful forms a moment later and I stare so far away at my mother, her team ready to bring the hammer of the gods down upon me and mine. She's testing my resolve. To make sure I can make it in this more dangerous than it looks world. All this year she killed herself as I've been since I found Zaela. To give me this chance to see if I can do what I've dreamed of doing.

If a tear flows down my single remaining eye I refuse to wipe it away. She loves me so much.

A mental voice I recognize as our main gym alakazam projects to all gathered here to watch daughter against mother.

"_This is an eleven on eleven team battle between Ella Mita of the Foundry-_" Ouch. I knew that would be true but you just _had_ to dig the knife didn't you mom? _"and Hannah Mita, Gym Leader of Blackthorn. No substitutions. The battle ends when all of the opposing force are incapacitated."_

Oh? Mother. Are you telling me something there? Very well. Let's see how well you trained your team. Mine can fight without me almost indefinitely.

Moments pass again as we watch each other. The first movement is hydregion and his roar of savage anger. Everyone follows as mega-salamence breaks the sound barrier to attempt a strafing run, two safeguards from the pair dragonites helping keep him safe and aid in slipstream as they follow along. Kingdra draws the river up and around himself, exeggutor and mega-altaria while haxorus, goodra and kommo-o fall behind hydreigon in a wedge formation. Noivern flitters about, tossing double teams to confuse movement and whips up air to make Kingdra's moving waterspout that much more potent.

It is beyond impressive and any who would see such a thing should be rightfully shaking in terror. Before the first of three hyper beams even starts to form from mega-salamence and his wingmates Query has gone through perhaps a few thousand different ideas on how to fight what occurs. Our first target is already locked its just a matter of surviving until we can start dictating the battle's flow.

The fist thing that occurs is a hail sandstorm from both Zaela and Aurora that covers our entire team. Its not as concentrated as usual but we're all moving (myself included) to positions as Joker becomes the linchpin of the first stage of our attack. Hundreds of double teams flow out of the sand/hail wall, eight or so of which hide substitutes that buffer the incoming hyper beams. The rest of the force is canceled by Sunny and Angel's light screens shattering one after the other like glass. Wish upon wish restore Joker as he uses substitute in ways that will come about later in the fight.

Query barely moves, his full attention on the steps Zaela can feel through the earth as well as Tru and my aura sensing each and every signature of mom's team. Angel and Tass immediately teleport upwards to get a view of their target and out of range of hydreigon already starting to cover the area with dark energy to disrupt our teleports. Mars and Aurora dig ancient power stones up and drop them around at random for Zaela to turn them into stealth rocks. Brightscales and Tru stand front and center as we already feel the rain dances of at least five signatures start to attempt to take over our terrain. Sunny hides behind Zaela's bulk and starts to set up screens where Query directs her and Wattson just takes the electrical energy from the new rain to start powering himself up and begin pulsing thunder waves in massive crashes towards the encroaching force.

Flashes of razor leafs, dragon pulses and the occasional thunderbolt show how effective the double teams have been for a moment, as each substitute takes another hit before fading. They stop the thunderbolts as each are attracted to Wattson's motor drive. Each time it hones in on him Angel teleports him to another part of our side as they immediately shoot long range attacks to where the bright arcs of energy flow. They stop that fairly soon when they realize they are wasting energy.

Aurora's hail stays firm into the water, merely using the rain dance as more fuel but Zaela's sandstorm, powerful as it is, can't keep up with the power of so many dragons seeking the heaven's for its blessing of water. The tactics are simple. Stand firm and delay until our first target is down. My heal spheres constantly tag Joker as he continues to flood the zone with double teams. They last only moments but its beyond confusing to mom's team. Query focuses us and we let them strike in earnest first.

Their target is wrong. Query is the heart of our tactics but they seek out a double team that looks like Angel and the deepest pit of ice where Aurora really is, though surrounded now by walls of stone save for one particular circle that points away from the battle at a perpendicular angle. Water pulses and ranged attacks pepper the fake Angel in massive explosions but the lack of reaction from us has haxorus, goodra and the two dragonites immediately switch to Query who simply aids the still hiding Sunny to tank the attacks with shields. Kingdra and mega-altaria are setting up long range snipes, each hydro pump or moonblast aided by the hurricane level winds my mom's starter is sending our ways to batter against Aurora's hail.

Kommo-o is picked up in an instant by mega-salamence and is about to drop behind Zaela to punish Sunny as the first of our two devastating attacks fires. Aurora, constantly boosting with ancient power that Mars is moving into the sky, hidden by the hail he's enduring by constantly setting himself aflame shoots through the one hole in her defense. I continue to pepper my son with heal spheres to keep him steady until the attack goes final. The fully powered, refrigerated Hyper Beam flows _screams_ out into the distance and hits Brightscales dead on, a split second before Query hits hydreigon with miracle eye and forces the teleportation block to fade for a few seconds. It takes three of his four minds to do it but its worth it as Sunny vanishes from behind Zaela, dodging the descending steel-dragon who is immediately sunk into the quicksand that Zaela had formed under Sunny. Sunny simply stood on one of her reflect screens.

Another pulse of energy takes Brightscales channeling her mirror coat directly in front of hydreigon. The three heads open in outrage and with crackling energy of a tri attack in shocking speed but it isn't enough as Sunny appears on his back, Moonblast ready. Angel's presence to his right has him surrounded and he vanishes in the explosion of a double powered ice hyper beam, one four times effective moonblast and another boosted by Sunny's helping hand. I wince as his aura is immediately shut down in unconsciousness but Zaela takes no chances when pulling hydreigon underground immediately to join the struggling kommo-o. His heavy body struggles to get free from the muck and rain. None of mom's team can risk being so close to Zaela just yet so he's on his own. Dual claws and Mars' ancient power batters him further into the doom of Zaela's domain.

They don't take it lying down. Sunny is hit hard by a steel wing from the still close by mega-salamence and is nearly out of it before Tru is there, ally switched by Query from afar. She jumps high and slams down on mega-salamence's back for an instant. He turns to toss her off but she holds on gamely until a _massive_ thunder homes in on her metal form. She just grins and is pulled by Angel out of danger. Wattson's attack sends mega-salamence soaring but he's hit hard by the two dragonite who probably have the best teamwork of all the team, every random pot shot my team fires at them is blocked by the other's safeguard and is immediately retaliated upon. I wince as Wattson's form is cartwheeled about and toss more heal spheres his way as I keep hidden behind a stone edge as best I can.

Kingdra's set up is complete and its hard to hear anything with the howling winds and sleet that cover the battlefield. Steel piercing blasts of water seek out Aurora in her own storm and mega-altaria is healing up any damage we can possibly do. Kommo-o is still stuck halfway underground but Zaela can't finish him as goodra and haxorus flank her, each moving in to slap her with dragon pulses, tails and claws. Sunny returns to her side to provide defenses and bathe the area with fairy wind around my sister in such incredible precision that I know she's been practicing far after our usual trainer. It doesn't put goodra and haxorus down but they falter and kommo-o is wracked with crushing earth power.

Angel darts around to heal up Brightscales, who mostly does it on her own anyway, and to pull people away from the massive psychic blasts exeggutor has started slamming into light screens and barriers. Mom's team wises up and starts after Query who switches himself with Sunny at any dragon type attack and flips gravity on himself to dodge. Even so he's taking a massive battering that we can't seem to blunt fully as mega-salamence, healed up, starts to send bombing runs of dragon pulses and flamethrowers into gaps of the rain soaked area. Mud rules the floor now but Zaela has such control over water now that she's started sending muddy surfs into her two opponents to foul their footing.

Noivern, who has been able to avoid all of the friendly attacks begins hounding Angel with great success, the nimble dragon can hear the snap of her teleport with ease and each new location is immediately assaulted with boombursts. Tru has to move from trying to aid Wattson's increasingly hurt form to start flinging aura spheres at noivern. Angel is too important to our plans and her aura is pained at leaving her love defenseless, even if he's gotten a bit of help from rapid fire ice beams from Brightscales. Her confuse rays and hypnosis waves start to mess with the dragonites' teamwork enough that Wattson can stay in one place for me to tag him with more heal spheres. Years of using the move have given me a lot more stamina and effectiveness but I'm already feeling the pull.

Then mega-altaria and mega-salamence revert to regular. The shock they feel is delicious as Tasslehoff completes his mission. No one noticed the shadow moving through all the massive attacks or through the crackling thunder. Alakazam said opposing _forces_ and mom heavily implied this was to test what I would go through in the real world.

So we built me a tiny fortress and sent Tasslehoff to take out the opposing general. A combination of a mild (for a pokémon) hypnosis and then hiding mom's key stone away someplace she couldn't reach ensures two of her greatest weapons can't work.

Altaria's reversion sets up our next plan. Immediately we abandon delaying tactics and Query allows a brutal swing by haxorus to hit him, but actually Joker's illusion pops as he's switched and a fully buffed payback sends haxorus slamming out into a stone edge that Zaela times perfectly to send him spiraling into the air. Brightscales is deposited straight in his path and an ice beam slams him downwards into Sunny's next moonblast. He doesn't get up. Goodra manages to slip away to regroup after sending multiple pulses of water and dragon energy into Zaela's bulk.

My starter is continuously hammered by Kingdra's increasing control over the area as well as altaria's fairy barrage. Zaela takes the damage with groans of increasing pain but also spends the time finishing off kommo-o who passe out _beyond _frustrated at how little he got to do. None of this is the plan though. Tasslehoff emerges under altaria's shadow, tanking the storm's damage and puts her to sleep. He's immediately swapped with Angel and she traces Cloud Nine before popping out in an instant, back immediately with Aurora and Mars. The rain vanishes as cloud nine erases everything back into the sunny day that this all started as.

Kingdra may be swift in water but the rapid loss of his terrain and ability leave him unable to dodge the freeze dry that Aurora spends every bit of her energy on. The helping hand Sunny gives her only makes it that much more brutal of an attack. Zaela pays the price as both dragonite and salamence start to wear her down until she's forced to dip underground. Tru immediately goes to a spot where Query directs Zaela to get heals and Wattson sends out shock wave after shock wave to distract the fliers who switch to long range hyper beams.

My mother's starter sends out razor winds tinged with dragon breaths and twisters but its to no avail as the next set up attack takes him and altaria out. Every single ancient power fired is pulled by Mars up and into the sky. They impact each other with such a force that it causes a shockwave bigger than mega-salamence breaking the sound barrier.

Unfortunately while the attack does batter Kingdra into the ground Mars takes hits from the hyper beams that were carefully aimed by the twin dragonites and salamence. How? Noivern directed them with careful sonar pulses and added his own boomburst. It could have been easily dodged but it was our mistake. Everyone is a bit too occupied and Tru and I didn't notice the attack in time. I return Mars as he falls and reverts, then again to Joker as he is unable to see goodra sneak up through the bit of fading rain that is left. The payback he gave earlier wasn't fully healed and substitute use was just too much.

Altaria, awake again but now barely off the ground, desperately weaves about as exeggutor finally starts to channel solar beams that come out quicker than most fire attacks. Most of his attacks were used before to blunt incoming damage or set up shields. The team retreats a bit to gather around Wattson who is quickly heal pulsed back up to full even as the dragonite twins and salamence are treated by altaria. Our next plan is immediately set into motion as Zaela finally takes flight. Sunny is tied quickly into my harness and constantly sets shields around Zaela like a flying battleship. Fairy wind surrounds Zaela who draws up a sandstorm. Solarbeams, strong as they are, only barely damage the mobile shielding of weather and Sunny's screens and reflects.

Angel loses her cloud nine and Wattson and tru take off at incredible speeds to harry altaria to keep her from using her own ability to get rid of Zaela's new weather effect. The bait is taken as the twin dragonite move to press in safeguards and start up twisters to block off the couple from their target. Angel simply ports in and flies through the two attacks, negating them and altaria can't get away fast enough before Wattson is already tossing thunderbolts as fast as he can breathe. Tru guards his back while Copycating his attacks when she isn't hurling heal spheres at Zaela and Sunny shooting attacks at the twin dragonite desperately trying to protect their increasingly battered healer.

Goodra attempts to get closer, working his way towards exeggutor but Brightscales heads him off, fully buffed by coil. She smacks him with a dragon tail that sets him out of position more than he expected and then she bombards his senses with attract, hypnosis and confuse ray until he can't move save to walk in circles, hitting himself with dragon pulses erupting too closely.

Noivern and exeggutor constantly hammer Aurora who can't move with Angel and the rest occupied with getting altaria out of battle. Sunny, even from far up, manages a few light shields to help with Aurora's barriers but every attack the two attempt on her have to be tanked or hit Brightscales who is slowly whittling away at goodra behind my ancient dinosaur.

A bright cry of pain and determination mark Aurora going down but not before she sends a massive avalanche that has noivern and exeggutor panicking. Noivern is merely clipped by the attack but exeggutor lacks the speed to get away and is covered by it. I return Aurora and my eye goes up to Sunny and Zaela as the twin dragonite are fed up with it all.

Two massive blizzards form from them, probably knowing of Zaela's huge weakness and the moment they send them out our last big counter is formed. Tasslehoff pulls out of Sunny's shadow and endures both blizzards with a massive screech of pain but his shadow sneak to one of the twins results in a pain split that sends them into a short dive of equal pain. Zaela puts on a burst of speed and crashes into the other twin and Tass finally has the ability to attack. The massive power thrown about before made sure my ghost was patient and now its paid off. Unable to break away from Zaela, Tass starts to pelt that dragonite with thunder waves, toxics, will o' wisps and spites. Hexes follow the moment he senses a weakness as both twins can't muster up safeguards or anything to block just yet. To make matters worse he hits the slowly recovering other twin with a destiny bond and starts to block their attacks as they try to aide their twin against Zaela and Sunny.

Query finally has enough leeway to enter the battle and he's switched with Angel, hovering near salamence. My boy is switched already in momentum and crashes into salamence with a giga impact that sends them hurtling toward the ground. Every second they fly is met with a meteor mash into salamence's body. The dragon burns Query constantly with flames but he can't stand up to the damage for long. Every attempt to adjust his flight and not hit the ground is disrupted by Psi-Fist and the rapid flashes of Query's body make sight impossible. The massive crash of dirt and earth pelt altaria and block a bit of Wattson's electric attacks but salamence is out. Query emerges pissed off that he didn't get to smack down more and altaria is snagged from the air by psychic and gravity into Wattson's ice punches and Tru's close combat to join her teammate in unconsciousness.

It goes quick from there as the dragonite Zaela and Sunny harass with dragon pulses, flame throwers, the revolving fair/sandstorm and Sunny's pinpoint accurate moonblasts uses draco meteor. His twin desperately tries to warn off the attack as Tass cackles and flies up, making sure as many as he can get to hit him. The destiny bond triggers and the second dragonite crashes into the ground with a dull thump. I return Tass as he disperses into shadows. Zaela redirects the rest of the draco meteors with a massive force of will boosted by Sunny's helping hand and the last dragonite skids to a heap next to his twin. Noivern has been frantically trying to knock Brightscales away from goodra to regroup but Angel appears right in front of him and echoing Zaela's massive effort teleports him directly into my sister's sandstorm. Angel takes a bit of damage but its nothing compared to Noivern being crunched and made to stay in the fairy storm. His purple-green body escapes, wobbly and is easy pickings for Wattson's lightning.

Goodra is all that remains and rather than wait many awkward minutes for Brightscales to confuse him to death, Query smacks him into unconsciousness.

The area is wrecked. Muddy furrows of land are split in massive rents of damage. Water soaks everything and mom's team is scattered about in ruins. None are in danger of dying but recovering will take a while. I move from my hiding spot to hop onto Query's head and he floats me over to where mom is still unconscious. Carefully he takes her pokéballs and returns her team. Angel passes out the moment she knows everyone is alright and I return her quickly. Sunny follows suit but with the biggest smile on her face. Everyone else elects to stay outside.

I reach down to shake mom awake and I can't help but smile tremulously at the way she looks at me. Its only an instant for her to know she lost. The pride and love she gazes at me can't be put into words. She stands slowly and looks over my team to the destruction. Both of her hands lay down onto my shoulders and she leans down to kiss my forehead, mud and all.

"Well done. Its all that I could have hoped for. And nothing less than what I expected." My throat chokes up as Wattson, Zaela, Tru and Query keep close. This is the most, by far, of my team that has been taken out. But that's to be expected. My eye turns back to see Brightscales moving around the area, reliving the fight in her mind and her aura singing with such joy that I know she's truly found her place with us.

"Come daughter. Your prize awaits. I guess it is two. If you wouldn't mind, Zaela, would you carry us both?" My mother looks up to my sister, who simply turns and lets us climb up. I return the rest of the team. Zaela's back is easily big enough to carry us both and if mom uses the time to hug me tighter than is needed? Well. Who cares?

We fly over the crowd, who was quiet most of the fight, or at least I couldn't tell through the destruction. Dragon and human alike simply stare at us in respectful awe. The feeling they give is so much more than when we defeated Momma. Then it was shock and an inkling of what we'd become. Now? Its reaffirmation and the respect of equals. Another moment I can't speak.

Mom's team was incredible. Every attack they fired hit unless we teleported or switched out. Even ones that were dodged hit someone behind. We still had a massive advantage. Team tactics are what we trained for but I shudder to think what would have happened if we didn't take out hydreigon immediately or if mom had been able to train more in such methods.

Into the Den we descend and through the waterfall without a drop soaking us, so firm is Zaela in her control now. She's pleased. Most of her time in the fight was defending Sunny or being a big target. She didn't get to use her massive power because it could easily harm others in the team. Yet she is very, very proud because those who she trains with every day showed just how powerful they were. Most of the damage was done by Aurora, our two faries and Wattson. Everything else was misdirection into single attacks or shifting about the battlefield. Zaela has truly grown. A leader more than a single destructive force.

When we finally get out of the tunnel I can barely breathe. How could I not see this? Life and aura explode in the teeming fields we come upon. Even Zaela's emotions run with shock as I turn back and see some sort of barrier around the area. Something keeps this place safe. We fly slowly around, guided by mom as I feel something, no, someone amazing over the peak. I vaguely remember this place from the anime but its far more incredible. Flowers everywhere. Tangled vines that look more like carefully placed artwork flow in carpets of green. The air fills me almost as if it were a drug so giddy I become as we peak over the last hill before we see him.

The dragonite is not overly huge but his concentration of aura and power scream of a long lived life.

"Daughter. This is the dragonite of the very first Blackthorn Gym Leader. This Holy Land is his to guard. But. Today, as you have proved worthy without a shadow of a doubt, his present is twofold."

The ancient merely stares at me, not speaking but projecting deep pride that one of the inhabitants of the Dragon's Den, two with Zaela here, have found themselves able to stand tall in his domain.

Turning, he stamps his foot and a pillar rises up and splits. Gemstones are within, diamonds, rubies, sapphires and all manners of colors associated with every dragon type. The wealth is incredible but its what is at the end of the splitting earth that makes Zaela and I gasp.

Mega stones. So many. All of dragons. Enough for generations of trainers. What we know is ours though is the last that is pulled up. As if from the core of the earth its glittering double helix calls to Zaela and I. Garchompite.

Gently I reach down and take the stone then turn around to my sister. She just hums a bit in pleasure as I attach it to a strap on her saddle. We'll find something appropriate later.

"Take it daughter. Use it in your life's journey and know that I will always be here for you. The second gift is to come here whenever you like. To train or simply be home. Even if you call other places such a title. And finally, I love you Ella. I'm so very proud." My heart melts again as we look across the Dragon Holy Land. One of the founders of the Clan stands beside us as my mother and sister flank me. I'm not nervous about the last stage of my plan. The beginning of the Order. I've learned so much from home. Its time to go out and pass it on.

Zaela roars out and for once I join her. Victory.

* * *

Baddad

Charizard grew up as his kind should. Through toil, danger and violence to be savored. Every minute of early life was a struggle and he grew out of it by the corpses of his enemies. The Valley was his crucible and while he eventually left it to seek out more power he would always return to remind all there who deserved to be its king.

Years upon years past as he traveled Johto and sought out greater challenges. More power. Sometimes he lost but never was he defeated. Everytime he was smashed into the ground he'd claw his way out and build the fire of his hatred until it would consume everything. Sometimes he would attempt to sire a child that could continue his glory.

Unlike some of his kind he didn't think it was bad to be surpassed so long as they offspring bred true. Eventually, disappointed with his own kind he sought the dragons that were so close in desire as he was. To conquer the world with their might. His fire found its desire in a land dragon who had no weakness. Even her fire was strong. Not as might as his but enough to make all the females of his kind pale in comparison.

Naturally, they fought. It was a long, brutal courtship and his scars grew twice as many. It was glorious. Whatever happened he knew no other female would be his mate. Nothing could compare to her. Years later when she finally accepted him they created what he hope for. The moment he saw the egg he could feel his fire within it. Dormant, but there. Once awoken the fire would consume far past whatever he was able to.

It was glorious.

Then it was pathetic. His mate lived close to humans. Pathetic creatures. They stole power from the mighty and made slaves. Many times in the past he had destroyed towns until teams of slaves grew in such numbers that he could not enjoy putting humans in their place without serious risk.

It was only a past time for him but he still resented that he couldn't enjoy it anymore. Now his daughter was going to be a slave? The legacy he'd been after for years upon years upon years? Never. The desire to kill was so strong he did not mind if he would die himself if only his daughter would grow true. Then his mate fell to the disgusting humans. Not even one of the humans with strong slaves! A child! A nothing! Speck!

Charizard came then to wreck the den. He knew he would die. Some of the strongest free dragons lived there and would take his destruction poorly. As long as the child died it would be fine. He was thwarted. His mate was always weaker than him but when he came, ready to take what was his she gained something.

He couldn't place it. But it tasted of death. Even if he defeated her there would be no way he could get to the child in time to set his daughter free. Fine. He would be patient. Someday his daughter would seek him out. Her flame spoke to his. When that time came he'd show her the power she would achieve without her slave master. So he left, vowing to never return until his daughter was at his side. To show his mate who was right.

Years passed and he slept. Being awake only made him more angry and while taking it out on the others in the Valley was pleasant none could challenge him. Longing for his mate persisted but he snuffed it out until he could claim her again after he was proven true.

Then he felt it. His daughter was in the Valley. Still he was patient. If he went to attack now he'd provoke all the others he felt near her. Another battle he couldn't be sure of just yet. Once his daughter was by his side though? Then he'd teach her of how a king became strong alone. That you ruled through fear and power.

Another half a year or so passed and he spent his time feeling what his daughter was doing. Her strength was impressive. Beyond that. Almost uncontrollable. This is what he had sired? Truly he knew himself to be the pinnacle of his kind. To make a dragon so young this powerful with his blood.

Finally it was the day. He could feel her coming. Along with her slave master. Perfect. Everything would go as planned.

The girl was just as pathetic as before. Small. Weak. The only good part is that she lost an eye. There was the tiniest bit of respect for going on with such an injury but also a curl of his lip at being so weak as to lose it in the first place.

Even as his voice shook the volcano the speck didn't waver. Brave fool. Ashes to become.

But then his daughter released from those slave tools humans made to capture all pokémon and he realized just how much of a King she was. Truly, he was might for his daughter to be born to rule.

Of course they fought. It is the way of things. To show who is right. Never before has he been pushed so far. Never before has such pain occurred. That she could withstand his fire was impressive. That she could fly close to his level was shocking. The way she fought though? That was beyond him. His kind fought power to power but she used that with trickery.

What kind of daughter was she to not face him fully?! Over and over they clashed and he thought that his way was right when the Valley erupted in cheers. But then her name. His daughter. For a brief instant he felt it. That pride he wished to have for his offspring. But it turned to ash when he realized they approved of her way. Fighting with trickery and deceit. From not taking something front on with your might.

Anger was a soft word for the rage that he felt. Determined to smite her and try anew with another offspring someday in the future if she would not listen he couldn't be prepared for when she finally fought him straight on.

His power was less. His fire and passion diminished compared to her own. Nothing stood in her way. Looking up at her form, taller than his already, he could barely believe her words. Her contempt. Anger he could understand. Welcome even. But the disgust? For his way? True, he felt the same for hers but the utter loathing in her voice pierced him hard. It couldn't be denied though. A mere seven years and he was defeated by her. Did she say it was her own strength? No. She credited her...slave...family. Not him.

The world shook as her presence spoke it true. She did not know how to use it as he did. But without thinking she put her life into her words. Everything she said was real. That is how true kings show their power. When they say something, their entire being makes it the truth of their lives. His is fear and anger. Hers though? Power and family.

For once in his long, brutal life he didn't know what to believe. Only that he had lost and lost completely. Her fire blazed hotter than his. More pure. Because of the speck. While flying away, unsure where to go, ruined and broken, he thought more than anything.

Was he wrong? Was his mate right? Would he ever see his daughter again? She gave him a chance to return. Under her terms. As was right for the victor.

Should he change?

Or should he become stronger and destroy her?

He didn't know. Not yet.

* * *

Hannah Mita

Growing up as the heir was interesting for Hannah. It wasn't anything she thought she deserved but she also didn't mind the burden. From the moment she knew what was required of her she simply enjoyed the satisfaction of the work. Everything about dragons spoke to her and she spoke to them.

The journey she went on was more than she could have hoped for. Freedom spoke to her and she traveled many regions, even winning a few leagues before she came home to take over her birthright. The heir wasn't always hereditary but more along what the dragons in the den felt. She took over the gym leader's position early and roped her boyfriend at the time into modernizing much of the Clan compound.

Marriage was easy as well. Rickard was a relatively easy man to live with and his own interests lets her concentrate on training and making Blackthorn stronger than ever. When they found out she was pregnant not too long after Hannah found out she was going to be a sister? It was a bit awkward but Hannah had never wanted anything more.

Ella was born nine months later and things got amazing, if weird. Hannah's daughter was everything she hoped for but also a trial on her nerves. Ella learned incredibly quickly which must have come from Rickard's genius but it was almost alarming how adult their daughter acted. From simple things as cleaning her messes without asking (and in practical ways, what two year old knows how to use a vacuum?) to somehow getting her starter to give her a ride in the lake and take careful precautions to stay on kingdra's back.

Everything happened too quick but ultimately Hannah didn't mind. That her daughter adored them was obvious and she was so bright and happy that Hannah couldn't do anything but enjoy the ride. Years past and she grew to enjoy the quirks Ella displayed even if some were downright terrifying.

It all started around her fourth year. Zaela and Momma came into their lives. Elder dragons have no real rules. Seeing her baby girl playing with a garchomp that could defeat her entire team if she truly let loose was beyond normal fear.

At least until Ella revealed something more shocking than her obvious genius and maturity. Aura.

Aura.

Rarer than psychics and more powerful than almost any ability humans could achieve. And her daughter had it in droves. Enough to partially tame 'Momma'. The bond between the massive egg and Ella grew quick. At first Hannah panicked but then her nature got back to her. Hardship was her daughter's path but that didn't mean she couldn't make it a bit more achievable. Favors were called in and Tru came from it later.

The years were rocky but perfect. Hannah always enjoyed the work growing up and seeing Ella take after that brought them even closer together. Then she discovered Ella's dream and a lot of things came into place. How frantic Ella and her growing team seemed to be training. The odd books on political aspects of the world and tactics that she'd find in her daughter's room. Query starting to direct his teammates without Ella saying a word.

This time she wasn't shocked. Amazed, but still she couldn't do anything but push more. If her daughter dreamed big then she would push herself to stand behind her. Supporting her. But never stifling her.

Rickard grew distant more and more. He couldn't understand the drive. For him only the next problem to solve mattered. She didn't love him any less as she could see that it just wasn't in him to relate to their confusing daughter but she couldn't help but resent him some for not trying harder to at least help Ella understand.

Then her baby lost an eye and was a baby no longer. Not even a child. Rage and guilt honed her into a weapon. She directed it at the Stones and only Ella's calm acceptance kept her from declaring war in ways not seen since feudal times. That wasn't to say she didn't give up her hatred and vindictiveness. Even after 'peace' was made she didn't stop from letting them see her anger at every meeting. And given how her dragons pick up on her emotions.

Its good that Ella wasn't around to see how she acted. It was never fun to have one's child point out childish behavior. Deserved or not.

With Ella's leaving a lot of her life felt empty. Not because Ella was growing up. She started that far too early. No, it was the real knowledge that there wasn't going to be much more for her to teach Ella that her daughter couldn't experience herself. Then the idea of giving her one last brutal teaching. To test her for them both. That she could know Ella would be fine. Not safe. But able to endure what she has set herself upon. Training as in the old days came and she enjoyed seeing just a bit of what Ella has worked for.

It was exciting to know that she was behind her own daughter in this aspect of battling. That she'd be the underdog in this fight. One on one only a few of Ella's team could take on hers.

Every fight that was sent to her of Ella's victories and single loss were...Amazing. Such pride. Every parent wants to see their child grow beyond them. So she'd bust her ass until she couldn't move every day to give Ella's last fight with the Den as her home something to show them both what they needed to see.

Tomorrow her daughter would return and she couldn't wait. Placing her battle garb out for the next day she simply curled up in Ella's bed and closed her eyes. Hannah Mita is her daughter's greatest fan. Tomorrow she'd be her clan leader if needed. Strict trainer and teacher. But right now? Looking over the scattered notes written neatly in Ella's (some Mars') hand about her team and the books stacked in careful piles, Hannah could just think that she'd never been more grateful to be a mother.

* * *

**That took forever. But it was worth it! Hope you liked the second surprise perspective. Next chapter is the Silver Conference. Might last two chapters but we'll see. I've got an idea to make the battles interesting for me. Her team is going to destroy almost all of the competition so I gotta make them interesting somehow! My head hurts! So going to edit this (and likely re-edit a bunch in the coming days) and get it up before I ramble too much.**

**Onto the team!**

* * *

**_**1- Zaela the King Garchomp (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Adamant**__

**_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, Double Team, Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, Rain Dance, Mud-Slap, Dual Chop, Slash, Dragon Claw, **_**__**Draco Meteor, Dragon Rush, Earthquake, **__**_**Stone Edge, **_**__**Crunch, **__**_**Fire Blast, Aerial Ace, Hyper Be**_**__**am**__

**_**Combination Moves: Furnace (Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit)**_**

**_**Pain Whirl (Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and Rock Slide with a helping of Mud-Slap. Confuse them in a tornado made of giant pain rocks)**_**

**_**Grinder- Earthquake and Earth Power to simultaneously disrupt movement and provide a sharp incline to speed up Dragon Rush and manually activate Stealth Rocks. Rock Slide to subtly hammer Stealth Rocks towards vital points. Very tiring.**_**

**_**Ella's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_**

**_**2- Query the Shiny Metagross**_**__** (Identifies Male)**__

__**Ability: Clear Body**__

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

**_**Moves: Iron Head, Iron Defense, Take Down, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Psych Up, Gravity, Ally Switch, Miracle Eye , Scary Face, Brick Break, Meteor Mash, Agility, Magnet Rise, Return, Reflect, Double Team, Light Screen, **_**__**Rock Smash, Hammer Arm. Pursuit, **__**_**Hammer Arm, **_**__**Toxic, Shadow Ball, Hyper **__**_**Beam, Focus Blast, **_****_**Flash, **_****_**Laser Focus, Telekinesis, Grass Knot, Giga Impact, **_****_**Earthquake**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Psi-Fist - A method of psychic manipulation of an opponents gravity and self to make critical hits happen. A variety of punches/strikes with heavy but small piercing-like psychic stabs to balance points. **_****_**Grass Knot and Flash-distracted Laser Focus attacks added.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Two- Constant mind/emotion reading to adapt to attack patterns and psychological weaknesses. Low level confusion waves to occlude and disrupt senses and to influence terror or caution depending on level of threat as well as psychological profile. Can currently use two dedicated brains for state two. Three deemed too detrimental to combat ability.**_**

**_**3- Truthseeker(Tru) the Lucario (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Inner Focus, **_**__**Justified (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Serious**__

**_**Moves: Foresight, Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Detect, Cross Chop, Bite, Mind Reader, High Jump Kick, Agility, Vacuum Wave, Crunch, Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash, Copycat, Rock Smash, Force Palm, **_**__**Aura Sphere, Heal Pulse, **____**Protect, **____**Power-Up Punch, Me First, Calm Mind, **____**Extremespeed, Toxic, Focus Blast, Shadow Bal**__**_**l, **_**__**Thunderpunc**__**_**h**_****_**, Close Combat, **_****_**Bone Rush**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Heal Sphere- Aura Sphere made with heal pulse energy. Very aura intensive but serves as a long range critical heal.**_**

__**EMT- Bullet Punch, **____**Extremespeed or**____**M**____**e First(Depends on move) to target who is attacking ally. Counter if needed while second hand is using Heal Pulse. High Jump Kick away if Quick Attack is not fast enough. Looking into Substitute, Extremespeed and Quick Guard for increased effectiveness.**__

__**Reader: Calm Mind, Mind Reader, Detect to stay in someone's guard. Protect to be **____**used**____** later when unable to dodge.**__

__**Regen: Developed by Joy's lucario. Bounces small Heal Pulses onto a Protect screen to cause small amounts of healing over time. Somewhat draining even when perfected. Calm Mind increases efficiency.**__

**_**4- Sunshine(Sunny) the Sylveon (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Cute Charm, **__**_**Pixilate (Hidden)**_**

__**Nature: Quirky**__

__**Moves: Fake Tears, Tickle, Wish, Yawn, Stored Power, **____**Charm,**____** Tackle, Helping Hand, Baby-Doll Eyes, Fairy Wind, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Swift, Moonblast, Refresh, Draining Kiss, Light Screen, Misty Terrain, Skill Swap, Reflect, Safeguard, Round, **____**Shadow Ball, To**__**_**xic, **_****_**Dig, **_****_**Snore, **_****_**Hyper Voice, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Double Team**_**

__**Special Moves: Talk no jutsu. Seriously. Okay not seriously. Just couldn't resist the joke.**__

**_**5- Mars the Shiny Charizard**_**__** (Male)**__

**_**Ability: Blaze**_**

**_**Nature: Lonely**_**

__**Moves: **__**_**Ancient Power, Flare Blitz, Scratch, Ember, Dragon Dance, Air Cutter, Crunch, Bite, Beat Up, Dragon Rush, Dragon Pulse, Slash, Fire Fang, Dragon Rage, Flame Burst, Flamethrower, Metal Claw, Smokescreen, Wing Attack, **_****_**Fire Blast, Thunderpunch, Hyper Beam, Toxic, Focus Blas**_**__**t, **____**Dragon Tail, Dragon Breath, **____**Shadow Claw. Will o' Wisp, Ominous Wind, Fire Spin, **____**Dig, Earthquake**____**, Sunny Day. Draco Meteor (Currently only in Mega)**__

**_**Combination Moves(Self Taught): Dragon Blitz-High speed directed attack. A fully boosted by Dragon Dance Flare Blitz combined with a Dragon Rush that can be changed mid attack by using an enforced claw with Slash and Metal Claw to dig into nearby surfaces to a new direction. **_**__**Wing Attack and Air Cutter to achieve similar effects in air. Steel Wing desired. Double Team to be added for confusion once completely mastered. Possible Beat Up Clones when team exceeds six members.**__

**_**Smoke Boost- Dragon Dance while setting up favorable terrain with Ancient Power and hoping for more buffs while covered in a Smokescreen. Double Team and Beat Up to be added later.**_**

__**Firewall- Flame Bursts tossed up high and fed with a directional Air Cutter. Flamethrower added immediately after Flame Burst. Able to use without Blaze but cannot sustain it while moving without ability activation. Ancient Power to be added in slowly. Rock Slide an alternative if learnt.**__

**_**6- Aurora the **_****_**Aurorus**_**__**(Female)**__

**_**Abilities: Refrigerate, Snow Warning (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Modest**_**

**_**Moves: Powder Snow, Thunder Wave, Haze, Barrier, Mirror Coat, Sandstorm, Hail, Magnet Rise, Discharge, Rock Throw, Mist, Icy Wind, Ice Beam, Round, Ancient Power, Aurora Beam, Avalanche, **_****_**Thunderbolt, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Safe**_****_**guard, Freeze Dry, Light Screen. Encore, Nature Power, Blizzard, **_****_**Rain dance**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Storm Defense: Ability activation, Sandstorm and Barrier. Omni-Directional Discharge if any non-ground types enter the field.**_**

__**7- **____**Wattson(Thunderbug) the Ele**____**c**____**tivire**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Motor Drive**__

__**Nature: Jolly**__

__**Moves: **____**Thunder Shock, Cross Chop, Thunderbolt, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Focus Punch, Low Kick, Rolling Kick, Meditate, Dynamic Punch, Light Screen, Barrier, Thunderpunch, Discharge, Thunder, Shock Wave**____**, Focus Blast, Toxic, **____**Thunder Wave, **____**Dig, **____**Earthquake, **____**Electric Terrain, **____**Round**__

__**Combo Moves: The Punch-A fully motor drive/meditate buffed thunder punch combined with focus punch and electric terrain caused by launching someone with an earthquake. Ice or Fire Punch substituted for vulnerabilities.**__

__**8- Joker**____** the Zoroark**____**(Male)**__

**_**Ability: Illusion**_**

**_**Nature: Serious (as fuck)**_**

**_Moves: _****_Fake Tears, Fury Swipes. Night Slash, Night Daze, Detect, U-Turn, Imprison, Pursuit, Hone Claws, Flamethrower, Scary Face, Feint Attack, Taunt, Foul Play, Torment, Double Team, Embargo, Punishment, Dark Pulse, Copycat, Sucker Punch, Shadow Ball, Bounce, Grass Knot, Psych Up, _****_Shadow Claw, Snarl, _****_Dig_**

**_**9- Angel**_**__** the **____**Gardevoir**____** (Female)**__

__**Ability: Trace, Synchronize, Telepathy (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Modest**__

__**Moves: **____**Teleport, Ally Switch, Trick Room, Dazzling Gleam, Healing Wish, Wish, Heal Pulse, Misty Terrain, Psychic, Confusion, Moonblast, Icy Wind, Mimic, Calm Mind, Captivate, Stored Power, Nightmare, Hypnosis, Dream Eater, Future Sight, Heal Bell, Echoed Voice, Hyper Voice, Hyper Beam, Shadow Sneak, Disable, Confuse Ray, Encore, Imprison, Skill Swap, Destiny Bond, **____**Light Screen, Reflect, Protect, **____**Round**__

__**10- **____**Tasslehoff the Mismagius**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Levitate**__

__**Nature: Modest**__

__**Moves: **____**Spite, Confuse Rate, Scary Face, Mean Look. Toxic, Will o' Wisp, Hex, **____**Sucker Punch, Psybeam, Zap Cannon, Payback, Perish Song, Grudge, Pain Split, Power Gem, Astonish, Phantom Force, Mystical Fire, Magical Leaf, Lucky Chant, Torment, Thief, Trick Room, Dark Pulse, Curse, Torment, Memento, **____**Dream Eater, **____**Endure, Flash**__

__**11- **____**Brightscales (Bri) the shiny Milotic (Female)**__

__**Ability: Marvel Scale, Competitive, Cute Charm**__

__**Nature: Bold**__

__**Moves:**____**Splash, Tackle, Flail, Mud Sport, Hypnosis, Confuse Ray, Mirror Coat, Tickle, Haze, Mist, Dragon Pulse, Dragonbreath, Captivate, Brine, **____**Water Pulse, Aqua Ring, Recover, Disarming Voice, Refresh, Attract, Safeguard, Coil, Rain Dance, Surf, Scald, Ice Beam, Endure, Aqua Tail, **____**Dragon Tail, Wrap, **____**Round**__

**_**12- Legend the ? (Female)**_**

_****Literally a legendary. Seriously. Its happening. Ella's ultimate goal for proof of her path to the world. Loses to Zaela a lot supposedly. For now. Possibly psychic or some mental ability.****_


	18. Ch 18- Adept and the Plan Part 1

**Alrighty! Conference time. This will be part one of the tournament. To make this more interesting there will be multiple perspectives in this chapter. The most ever! I couldn't justify Ella and the family having _any _trouble in the opening rounds so hopefully the _way_ the first rounds are told will make up for some rather easy battles.**

**I'm not sure how actual conferences go in terms of rounds so I'm just going to go with four single eliminations (one on one), three triple(three on three), two quadruple (you get the idea) as the quarterfinals and semifinals respectively. Then the finals as six on six. Assuming Ella reaches there of course. Yes. Roll your eyes.**

**Before I get to reviews I've posted two new chapters to Snippits of a Dream, which are small little side stories about Ella's team and the supporting cast. So far we have one of Sunny, Joker and Daisy Oak. So check that out if interested!**

**As to reviews! I'm both overjoyed and sad to say that I have to start pming responses because I'm getting so many. That's like. Nuts. And humbling. Once this chapter is out I'll start sending them out. Guest reviewers I'll respond to at the bottom of the chapter from now on but if I get too many of those? I might have to set up an email or something. Not sure. My thoughts behind this is that I ramble a lot. So one line responses to people who go out of their way to give me feedback doesn't feel right to me. Thus! Pms! Though I'll only likely respond to the review only. I have only so much time.**

**I've started writing a world of warcraft fanfic to help with my writer's block on DoF and its worked! I was halfway done through the first chapter of that story and it got my subconscious to power through my block! So here I am! Writing this instead of that!**

**I haven't really said it as a whole but thanks to everyone who reads and supports this. Its helped me a lot with going forward bringing this story to life.**

**Onto the story!**

**Disclaimer- I don't own anything of pokémon. Just the ocs!**

* * *

Adept

Silver Conference

Saying goodbye to the Den was hard. The ten years there overlapped all of my previous life in most ways that matter. I'm still silly about anime, old books, movies and such. That is a huge part of my fondest experiences back then. But I'm nothing like my old self. Effort is given easily now. My emotions are more prominent. I express myself without a hint of hesitation. The confidence I can bring out is staggering compared to the soft spoken person I began on Earth.

The Den and its inhabitants along with the Clan shaped me into Ella Mita, Guardian. Or at least I will be. In my head I've labeled myself an adept. Tru has only what she's heard from previous legends about true Aura Guardians. When I establish my Order there will be ranks we make up as it won't be made of just aura users.

Getting ahead of myself again journal-kun.

Mom and I had a long, blunt talk. It was a lot of reviewing our fight. Good and bad. The good was what you would expect. My tactics were great and taking her out as well. Keeping myself safe? Not so much from her opinion. My little hut made of stone edges would last through one hyper beam. That Angel could get me out in an instant was certainly possible but frankly if not surrounded by lots of different cover or constantly near say Zaela who could tank a lot to protect me I was just a bit too vulnerable for now. Later when I could use say protect and barriers easier I would have more options. And speed. After the conference I'd be training with Tru more to learn extreme speed. Which will suck. I'm pretty positive it will break my bones if I'm not careful.

I haven't told mom that I've killed besides that night where I lost my eye. Or rather let my family kill. Pretty sure she knows that I've done something like that again from how she's stressing in a life or death situation that I shouldn't leave anyone alive behind me unless I've got support to guard prisoners. I forget that mom has dealt with criminal elements before. Her duties as Gym Leader mean she's called in when the Police come across high level trainers who break the law. There hasn't been a war in some time but mom would get called to it if such a thing ever happened.

There is another week of resting and truly saying goodbye to home. Things are packed, we set up ways to get back quickly for Tass and then its off to the Conference. Mom and ,surprisingly, Dad are coming along. Mom was all set to ride on Mars as opposed to her team to talk with her grandson of sorts. Oh? Interesting thing. Mars is so much of a dragon in spirit that mom can talk to him like one. That kind of got me a bit emotional. Mars is truly a dragon. Amazing.

Silver Town is not nearly as impressive as television shots I've seen of the Indigo Plateau. It makes sense. So much of the league is settled in the Plateau of Kanto as opposed to Johto. Its easy to see how Lance will be champion of both regions. A lot of the league is run from Indigo. That said, it also shows off why Johto is so lovely. Just behind Hoenn, Johto is a region that focuses on keeping a lot of wilderness protected. The mistakes made in Kanto towards pollution were instrumental for both Hoenn and Johto to learn how to work with clean energy as much as possible. Many pokémon are responsible for environment conservation.

Silver Town is a great example. Normally a small town for the most part, it holds significance for being at the base of the infamous Mount Silver. There are pretty much only seven or so buildings. One _massive_ Pokémon Center that when the conference isn't being held doubles as a research facility to study the naturally powerful inhabitants of Mount Silver and its surrounding land.

The Grand Stadium has four smaller battle fields around it for preliminary matches but the stadium itself can hold everyone who makes the journey easily. A huge hotel-like dorm stands next to the Center and trainers are required to stay there. Hotels for family of the participants or fans are about a half an hour commute away and tend to be only open around this time of year. The league uses the hotels as extra housing for Ace Trainers and Rangers to deal with rampages that occur fairly often from Mount Silver pokémon.

Every street is split by trees down the middle and nature is just a brief walk from the small town for any trainer who wants to go do some last minute preparations in private. Being the daughter of a gym leader has its perked. We're given a suite that could hold most of my team and all of hers. Sadly Aurora and Zaela are just a _tad_ too big.

"Ella darling. Go get yourself registered and then its spa time." Its easily the most excited I see mom. Spas are her anime trope if she had one. The type where said character gets all drooly and wants their desire more than anything else. I leave most of my team and take Tru with me. Of all my pokémon her and Zaela are the most recognizable. Gym battles are only available to other gym leaders and upper Ace agents and beyond. Aurora and Joker are the two I'm going to have the most fun with as they are so rare to Johto (okay, Aurora is rare period) compared to the rest of my team. Query is as well somewhat but Hoenn is not _that_ far away. That covers most of the rest of my team.

Walking around with a lucario gets me some notice. If I were in the various cities I traveled through certainly people might recognize Tru but here? Right before the biggest event in Johto's league? Everyone knows what it means to have a lucario partner. That I'm dressed in a custom made leather outfit that matches Tru's from starts people whispering a bit. My eyepatch with Query's colors? The plan is working well.

I'll confirm some of the plan journal-kun. To gain infamy. The big kicker won't be until the end of the conference but I plan to reveal all of my pokémon. There might be rumors of a massive King Garchomp but by the end of this everyone will know Zaela.

Whistling happily at the idea of what is to occur I find my way to the giant Center. There are quite a few Joys here and they all are ridiculously busy. I wait patiently with Tru and we play a game trying to figure out what type of pokémon people have. We both notice a ghost trainer by the two signatures we feel in her shadow and we don't count a man in his mid twenties that has two psychics hovering next to himself. That's just too easy.

Eventually I come up to the harried looking Joy in my line and pass over my sadly rarely used pokédex. Registration of my entire team happens and but I only register Brightscales, Tasslehoff and Angel as possibilities for my first four matches. The plan is to use just Brightscales. Milotic are fairly rare and her shiny nature will make waves. I doubt I'll come across anyone worth using Tass' trickery or Angel's unfair mobility but they are there just to be safe.

Things turn for the better here journal-kun. I turn around and yeah. There she is. My favorite champion. Not yet there but definitely here.

Cynthia Shirona. She's a few years older than me but her hair is similar to her later style. The hair attachments are there but she's not yet in her Champion garb. Jeans, a sturdy shirt and a jacket to match that are in her classic darker colors. I can't help but stare as she gets up to her place in line to register. Holy shit. I'm going to face her. I'm sure of it. I've got a 100% record of fighting champions before they become champions.

For the first time in my life I'm terrified to talk to someone. Not in fear but...is this what being a fangirl is like?!

Ahh!

Okay. Okay. I'll play it cool. Yeah. Don't give me that look Tru. Its not funny! Right. I'll go wait outside and introduce myself. Or maybe she'll notice Tru and be like, hey, I got a lucario too! Does she have hers yet? Is it a riolu?

The next moments are not kind to my confidence but still amazing as I go to wait outside, pacing rapidly. The urge to release Zaela to truly get her attention strangles my thoughts but the Plan overrides my panicking. I can't let Zaela out till the finals. Which will probably be against Cynthia. Destiny is being nice. Or mean. I can't decide which.

"Are you alright? Your lucario is laughing at you so I assume it isn't bad but you do look quite worried."

I turn, horrified, to see Cynthia smiling faintly at me, amusement in her eyes as she watches me whirl my arms to regain balance. Did I just stop midstep and nearly fall over? Yes I did.

"Oh. She. I mean. Yes. She's laughing at me. Because of things. Right. Uhm. Hi. Er. Ella Mita?" Must not say her name. Must not say her name. I almost said 'pleased to meet you Cynthia'.

My hand goes out in a jerky motion towards her and I'm shocked to hear her giggle at me before taking my hand.

"Cynthia Shirona. Well met. I assume you're here for the Conference. I know everything is supposed to be secretive and such but I have a lucario as well. He's one of my closest friends. Is yours as well?" She speaks abstractly but she offers Tru a smile, offering her the chance to communicate herself. Most lucario can speak to humans but not all.

"_Mistress and I have been together for quite a long time. She's everything to me besides my mate. I expect your partner feels the same from how bright your aura shines. My name is Truthseeker. Tru for short."_ Tru offers Cynthia one of the rare bows she gives out to those whose aura feels earnest and good.

My brain must be mush as I haven't even felt Cynthia's aura. I tend to let my senses go dull with a lot of people around enough that only negative emotions spike my attention. When I feel it, Cynthia's presence feels full of potential. Lance, Clair, Bruno and Steven have similar hints of the same thing. Cynthia's though is full of aura. Not enough to be as active as mine or even Liza's but it probably does a lot to make her team stronger than normal.

The bow Cynthia gives back is just as respectful and I'm gaping a bit. Sue me. Cynthia was my inspiration for a generalist team. "Its great to meet you as well Tru. Perhaps we could compare notes on lucario after the conference Ella? I'd adore learning more of how you train Tru here. She looks particularly fit."

I wonder how she'll feel once Zaela is revealed. Okay. Calming down. The potential to troll her with that sparks my confidence again. My smile turns a bit mischievous as I tilt my head. "Of course. Anyone who has a lucario is someone I would love to know. Don't think our budding friendship will keep me from mopping the floor with you if we compete."

This is better. She's not going to be the Cynthia I imagined but all trainers enjoy challenges. The way her eyes widen at my words and the way I stop bumbling about turn her own grin a tiny bit dangerous.

"That sounds perfect. Something tells me you're not going to disappoint me if we fight." Can she tell from a glance how strong someone is? I can do more or less the same with aura. Maybe its how she examines Tru. Her lucario probably gives her a good judgment as to her level. Its not arrogance that she has. Not at all. Its the same type of confidence that mom has. That I'm known to show. The knowledge that she is _strong_. Now I'm pumped up.

"Alright then. Here's my email. If either of us get knocked out early we'll meet and talk shop. But I hope I meet you in the finals Cynthia. Something tells _me_ that we'll fight there." Now her smile truly is deadly and she takes my hand again in a shake before waving goodbye. Her emotions tell of excitement and a severe urge to go out and train. Probably lightly considering the first matches start tomorrow but I can't judge. I'm about to do the same.

We only talked for maybe two minutes and I can already feel that she's going to be everything I dreamed she would be.

The rest of the day flies by as I spar with Tru almost entirely. The rest of the team isn't told what happened but they sense my intensity and the clearing we find ourselves has to be repaired multiple times as we get in the last bit of training I allow. Its mostly just refining combos and a bit of a warm up for the morrow.

Mom is a bit pissed I didn't come back right away. She's mollified some when I say I found someone who I believe can give me a great fight. We still go the the spa as night comes though. Mom's obsession can't be denied! Frankly I'm almost as bad as her. Surprisingly I sleep well. Get ready journal-kun. Tomorrow will be three single matches. The day after that will be one more one on one before the three on threes start.

Next Day

So that was a let down. Every battle was boring. Like utterly. Because its so bleh I asked Query to type up Brightscale's version of the fights. Urgh. At least that'll be interesting. I'd do it myself but mom especially likes the spas here and we're going shopping for tms and things to send home to the Clan as souvenirs before more spa time! That said, today was amazing for getting my name out there. I'll let Bri talk about that as well.

* * *

Brightscales

This is going to be a glorious day! Glorious! Since I've gotten a trainer, which is beyond bizzarein itself, I've been able to prove myself to strong and worthy foes. The sea monsters of the Foundry call me Water Maiden. Why? Because none have shown themselves impressive enough to consider as a possible mate. Hmph! Zaela might be fine with someone beneath her power but I will not be! I spent many, many years in that cave waiting for something incredible to come along and it would hardly be battle maniac idiots who rampage on a whim.

The title is nice though. It suits my beauty and majesty.

This conference confused me until I found out it would be shown to the world. That potentially _most_ of the planet could see it on those box windows that Zaela spends so much time watching. As if we needed more roaring. She does enough without her movies.

Ella surprises me by offering to let me travel at her side as we go to the first of our matches today. She already told me that she'd try to give me four matches that while probably not all that difficult would allow me to show off.

I must admit she knows me well. Strong fights are great. But to let everyone gaze upon me? Oh yes. This is much more interesting. Sunny has told me of contests and that she has been working on a routine. If it is as she described I will insist I join her.

The first battle is against a green haired boy who is older than Ella but her demeanor intimidates him. I cover my mouth with my tail as I chuckle at his weakness. If he knew how Ella was in reality it would be well informed hesitation. As it is I think he simply doesn't know how to deal with her missing eye. Query told me she used to have much bigger of an issue with people staring at it but these days she properly puts people in their place by making them uncomfortable. Tass calls it 'trolling' but I must be honest. I don't know what that means.

It is pleasurable as the crowd hushes when I come into view. My coloring is very rare but they haven't seen anything as I coil up and spring into the arena. Landing daintily I make sure that my scales ripple in the perfect way to reflect light as much as possible. Ella tells me I look like a living rainbow when I do this so of course I spent a week every morning perfecting it.

My opponent sends out some grass type. Hmph! Predictable! Its large and has a fairly huge plant growing from the small of its back. Later I would find out it was a venusaur. Its a grass type though so I pull safeguard and mist about myself then add in a haze. I make sure to toss out ice beams in a manner that reflect beautifully against the ethereal water that condenses in the air. Toxic spores and spikes litter the floor as I slither closer, coiling and letting the mist and haze fade slowly until I'm close.

The grass type attempts to hit me with a fairly large amount of razor sharp leaves but I sniff at it. I've endured Aurora's full boosted freeze-dry. Enduring these was not even able to bring me down halfway compared to that. A dragon tail shifts his position and he's already staggering. Ella told me that sometimes trainers evolve their partners too fast. That Zaela wouldn't be as strong as she was without years in her previous forms. It makes sense. I myself was in my first form until I was strong enough to defeat the sea monsters as a feebas.

Wrapping my body around him I continue to make certain that my scales live up to my name. Combining a disarming voice with an ice beam doesn't do much more damage for the effort but it _does_ send my beautiful voice to the crowd over the grass creature's screams. I recover or ignore the frantic body slams and dodge the solar beam as I flow over his giant form. He falls moments later and I slither over to Ella, jumping to her side in gentle arc. The cheers are my reward and due. Ella proves herself worthy again of being my trainer as she lets me bask in it then leads us out to the start of what would certainly be a massive crowd of admirers when we win more of the rounds.

An hour later finds us in another battle field across from another male trainer. This one at least is in somewhat impressive clothing. It glitters a bit like my scales but for some reason Ella dislikes it, staring at the sequins with a bit of horror? Again I take my place across from our opponent. Ella rarely says orders, trusting the harsh training and planning we go through to carry the team through anything.

It does well here as an electric dog shows up in front of me. Unlike the grass creature it seems a bit more experienced as it slowly circles me, taking its time. I dislike using this move but I won't be taken out by a lucky critical. Mud sport is rather droll so I add in a bit of ice to make glittering flower-like constructs on top of the mud I'm using to ground electricity. The electric dog moves immediately into a quick attack that sparks with yellow lightning.

How boring. I hit his path with brine and tag him straight in the chest with a dragon pulse as he attempts to adjust. Predictably this sends him out of control and I burst forward to stare into his eyes. I croon loudly enough to make it sound like I'm enjoying his presence. As is expected he falls into my hypnosis easily. Its child's play to send in a confuse ray along with it and I slither about him, coiling and keeping him asleep until I'm fully boosted.

Five slaps of aqua and dragon tail send him into the air and awake. His trainer has frantically been calling for a thunder attack but I simply catch his fall with a dragonbreath and one last strike to his spiky temple.

The roar of the crowd is larger this time as I leave. I suppose Ella gets some cheers too.

I would speak of the third match but the idiot girl there brought out a ground type. Sure, she had to pick first but it was so insulting I didn't even give the three headed mole a chance to fight back. Ella told me later it was a steel type as well but it didn't matter. Surf and water pulses took it out in short order.

The final match was at least interesting even if I had to wait till the next day. By now the crowd watching us was worthy of my grandeur. Flashes of cameras (which are wonderful devices by the way) greeted me and I posed prettily to show them my best sides. My opponent was a shiftry and was easily the most impressive of the four fights I was involved in.

Wicked blades flashed forward at speed and indeed I took much damage. Finally someone I could use tactics against! Water began to flow over my scales in an aqua ring and I froze parts of it to create armor in my more vulnerable areas as well as to potentially toss them at my opponent as a surprise.

This would show off my prowess! The fight became a dance. I made up for speed with precise movement and constant recovery. Every attempt the blade armed grass type made to replenish himself was interrupted with my attractive nature or captivating personality. It was a long dance. Of attrition. And I won it.

At the end of the battle I was at the center of a destroyed field. Ice and deep rends in the ground were scattered everywhere. Tired as I was I didn't let it mar how the roaring crowd saw me. Brightscales in the highlight.

Hmph. Ella wouldn't let me spend too much time there but it was enough. Already the masses were talking of the powerful, shiny milotic and the trainer who had only shown her so far in four fights.

Magnificent.

* * *

Adept

After Bri's last match I had a free day that I spent with dad of all things. It was...Weird. Forced. He'd been checking out the Ace facilities mostly. Together we watched a few fights that had me analyzing what was going on. One was Cynthia's and she destroyed her opponent with her roserade. So far she's only shown a milotic and the roserade. Oh. We share three of the same species. Did I let her team affect me that much?

Oh Arceus. I am a fangirl!

Moving on from this terrifying realization, Dad and I do one thing that gives me just a little bit of hope. Out of nowhere he suggest I get a tattoo.

"Your team is your family, right? Isn't something permanent and meaningful something you'd enjoy?" Dad's voice is surprisingly deep, but rather monotone. He's not very tall but I can see a bit why mom still loves him. Obsessed as he gets he can surprise a lot of people with his observations with very little data.

"Oh...Actually yeah. That's a great idea." It really is. I've been so focused on my team that Query often has to drag me away to do things I enjoy. Generally its reading since I can take books anywhere. We find a tattoo shop after taking a trip towards the hotels where most of the non-trainer guests reside. I'm very unsure what to get until Mars pops himself out, which is a tight fit in the parlor and points outside. I return him, apologize to the artist, head outside and see what he has to say as I release him with more space.

"_Mother. You're thinking too hard. There will be twelve of us right? Here." _With that he rummages in my expandable bag and draws a twelve pointed star (Peter Keller version). "_The inner circle should have the primary colors of your first six pokémon with the outer having the last twelve."_

Great. Now I'm misting up again. Dad stays with me as I have the artist place it just over my heart and try my best not to blush at how exposed I have to be to get it. I'm only eleven but I'm growing pretty quickly. The artist, an older man, questions me quite a bit as well as dad to make sure that we're sure about it but yeah, I get myself my first ink in both lives. One of my twelve pillars isn't caught yet but I still insist her colors are put in.

Dad and I go back to the suite and I hope that we'll learn how to talk more. It doesn't take away from the fact that I am afraid its too late. The Foundry will be my new home the moment this Conference ends.

Mom freaks. Its great. Why? Dad and I both ignore it to grin at each other. Okay. A bit more hope. I got to sleep scolded about rash decisions and dad is on the couch but its worth it when Angel (who is on sleep with Ella duty. Something Query set up in paranoia ages ago) sees her colors on my chest as I change. When I explain what it all means she weeps at the idea of it. Both because of how much she means to me, as if she can't feel it, but mostly because Mars is the one who suggested it. Her effort to help him relate more is turning a corner. We all sleep well.

The next day is the first of the three on three battles and its Tasselhoff's turn to talk about what happens.

* * *

Tasslehoff

I'm going to be honest. I was all set to just sleep in a shadow for this whole thing. I don't care about battles for sport. Ella, the bitch, pointed out something that made me very, very grumpy. Aaron is watching this. Which sucks. I'm not likely to go and be his partner for a while, or if ever, but...Well he'd be sad if I didn't try, right?

Crap. This is why Ella pisses me off. She's right a lot. I hate that. I've participated in leagues before on my journeys but those were deals. To get help in finding a cure for...Bah. Its an old story. So fine. Here I am hiding away in shadows ahead of the time. If I have to do this at least I'll be fucking annoying.

Give me a battle of life and death anytime. That's exciting. Ella thinks its a hold over from my want to die with the last of _her _line. Aaron. Maybe so but only the excitement. Not the desire to fade away. Not since we cured Aaron. I hate it that Ella has this grip on me. That I willingly step towards. I can heal things no other pokémon can. Urgh.

The fight is boring. Idiot number one, some girl who looks all arrogant with her fancy hat and clothing sends out a luxray. Yaaay. Bet she thinks proud annoying lady is coming out. The ref calls for me to pop out and Ella tells him that I'm there already. Right. Cue the music.

I don't often fight one on one cause I'm a bit more frail than the rest of the team but Brightscales threw down a gauntlet. Bragged about how fucking pretty and amazing she was. Fine! Eat this bitch. I combine Lucky Chant...which I might have asked Sunny to help me tune a bit into screeching deep tones like a metal song...and flash with mystical fire to halo around me as I pull out of the shadow I was hiding in.

Its fucking epic and I can taste the luxray's fear. He's an idiot by the way. How did he not see me? They can see through walls right? The ref calls the start and I'm already snagging the fire to circle a hex around me. Magical leaves deny his approach and I constantly start sending out confuse rays tinged with spites and psywaves. Its an effort to keep up my discordant rocking metal music going but its worth it for the 'wtf' look on Ella's face.

Luxray have very good senses. I blow the idiot's out of whack instantly and its not hard to simply sucker punch up close and toxic the fool. The hex I was holding snaps forward along with another I follow up with and he's down. No really. Shit. Ella really has been strengthening me. Well fuck. I'm going to have to be nice or take her down on the prank list.

Blah lady trainer says something annoying about 'unfair' and 'how did she do that? That many moves at once isn't allowed' . Okay now I'm pissed. Sure, mismagius are kind of feminine looking but there are differences! Some asshole dark type comes out. Uh. Bisharp. Whatever. I'm going to be fucking mean now.

I mean I was already doing that but now its personal! So yeah. I dodge dark pulses and let the taunt hit me. Give them just a biiiiit of some hope. Did she not see the mystical fire? I'm compelled to attack but who says I can't be a punk about it? Compared to fighting Joker this piece of shit is a joke. Dodge and toss out fire. I don't even stop doing so when the taunt fades.

This lady sent him out as a heavy type advantage but in reality the bitchsharp isn't ready for high level battles. The most I get worried about is a magnet rise that sends him close enough to try for a night slash buffed by assurance. Yawn. Did he not see me sucker punch earlier? I do so to get behind and one more mystical fire has him out.

More 'how did you do this?' and other whining makes me roll my eyes at Ella. I'll admit it. My latest trainer is fucking amazing compared to whiny lady. Out pops a snorlax. Okay! That's a bit better. But hey, why not be mean?

Oh noooo. Very slow elemental punches. Fine I'll act like I can't dodge them well. Oof! Damage! Toxic! Curse! Idiot opposing trainer chortling about using rest as soon as I'm down and healing everything. Hiding a destiny bond in the middle of my still continuing rock out. Might as well take a nap.

Is that a crunch? Yes it is. Let's just walk into that and-

Oh hey. Ella hit me with some healing in time to see that idiot trainer calling me names I'm absolutely going to tell Sunny to use. Oh yes. Anyway, since I didn't slack off and shit I get to sit out things until the quarterfinals. Yaaay. Time to go see if Wattson has anything fun planned. Heard that Tru, Aurora and Angel are going out to practice tonight so surely two upstanding gentleman as ourselves can cause enough trouble to make things interesting.

* * *

Adept

Tasslehoff didn't care but his fights ended up being even more impressive than Zaela's. People started asking me if I was actually a coordinator which was a bit less of a positive point. Ghosts aren't normally as straightforward as Tass was which is by design. Our scary combos are for true enemies.

The prank that Wattson and he set up was less than inspired though. I wouldn't have cared, which was part of the point but mom didn't appreciate the bright pink that my shampoo turned her hair. Stage two got my dad, whose skin turned pale white from borrowed body wash. He didn't care at all. And frankly the ribbons they braided into my hair while I was sleeping are just nice. Sunny, who is growing up, didn't in fact curse like me as they wanted.

The joke was to turn me into the sylveon and her into the foul mouthed trainer. What ended up happening is Kingdra putting them into the ground and a trip to the Center. I may not be all girly at times but mom is a creature of habit. That said, she kept it pink for a while after until I asked if she was going to cosplay as a Joy. That led to a hurried dyeing but joke's on her! I got pictures while she wasn't looking.

Anyway, nothing particularly interesting happened save my plan was going along even more swimmingly. People have started recognizing me in droves and Joker, who roams constantly as new pokémn he's been seeing in the conference, has been listening to all sorts of rumors about the one-eyed girl with the stupidly strong team. They know of Tru, Bri and Tass so far as I still go everywhere with my lucario. Speculations are running rampant.

I might be stroking Sunny's back and channeling a Bond villan right now journal-kun. Angel is next tomorrow morning.

* * *

Angel

Images are packed one after another. Most of them are highly stylized manga-like artwork. Angel stands proudly, heroically in the first picture on a standard pokémon battlefield. Her hands are lit with some type of power and her eyes are depicted as glowing with the same energy.

Its framed so that it shows an opposing trainer, faceless, and his meganium looking at the posing Angel. The next frame has them charging at each other. Two massive attacks shoot. One obviously something fair oriented from Angel and the other a grass beam from the meganium as carefully placed sunbeams are shown in the drawing. A few smaller frames show Angel teleporting so fast that the images of her are indistinct, as if she's barely within the same dimension. Meganium looks confused but firms himself and tosses out a wide bit of leaves to hit many angles. Then a startled look as Angel is suddenly inches in front of him. Angel's mouth opens and massive shockwaves (hyper voice and such) and icy winds flow about them in close range, meganium's face showing great pain as small light screens wrap around his head to make the sound waves bounce constantly back and forth as each new frame obscures them that much more.

A few more boxes show the crowd waiting for the ice to clear and its to Angel standing over a spent meganium jumping up and down in excitement at her victory. Before meganium's trainer can return him though shows Angel holding up her hands in a 'wait' gesture. Pulses of healing flow down, reviving her opponent. He looks confused but an 'ah-hah' expression comes over his face and he nods to something Angel communicates and returns himself.

The faceless trainer's mouth is exposed and just a _hint_ of confusion is depicted before another ball lands. This time its a steelix. Angel puts her hands up as if ready to box and grows determined! The start of this battle begins with a massive sandstorm. A few images of it covering everything and clanking sounds written in blocky letters on the paper. Then massive burst of force bursts toss the steelix a bit out of the sandstorm and a battered Angel. Steelix rears up, his tail gleaming with silver energy and it cuts to a close up picture of Angel's eyes glowing with purple energy.

Steelix is halted in place, disabled. Angel's close up shifts to eyes with concentric circles and steelix falls down, asleep. The next frame is of a chibi Angel picking out tiny thought bubbles from the sleeping Steelix's head. They each have a tiny steelix doing epic things. Angel eats them and her wounds start to heal rapidly. Each new steelix dream starts to become more and more horrible. Nightmares. This just makes Angel eat faster, getting a cartoonishly large stomach.

Steelix ends up with swirls as his eyes and again Angel jumps around, victorious. Another bit of healing steelix up until he regains consciousness and they part with a tailshake to handshake.

The opposing trainer's mouth is agape and their final pokéball is thrown into the next box. Angel appears a little tired but all fired up as a charizard appears. She appears to be very excited and her thoughts go to a slightly bland looking chibi Mars in her own thought bubble.

The female charizard looks confused but then bathes the whole area in flames. Angel shows up in the air, hovering, slightly singed. Charizard crouches low in a dramatic picture and the next shows her flying up to attack Angel with steel claws. Angel teleports away and appears to do a cheering dance. Charizard gets a confused look and darts around, constantly attacking with the same attack.

Angel's glow about her grows stronger and stronger as she leads charizard on a merry chase across a full length page that depicts how many encores she causes. Finally, buffed fully, Angel lets the encore go. Charizard, quite angry, flies as fast as possible, streamers of air showing the fly attack and the speed.

Angel just gets a slightly apologetic look on her face as she teleports on top of the charizard and with obvious effort they are now perpendicular to the ground, only a foot away. Charizard's face has massive panic and can't pull up at all. Yet another large dust cloud forms from the perspective of staring straight down at it, as Angel pops into existence, panting, back hovering where she plucked charizard from.

Her hand goes to her chest, over her heart and she appears to be listening. A deep sigh happens and her hands pulse with power. Once. Twice. Five times she tosses massive blasts of psychic energy into the cloud, making it larger. Only when her listening face clears does she float back down, very tired to find the charizard out of it. The psychic attacks were so strong that her opponent is several feet into the ground now.

Too tired to celebrate, despite the massively cheering crowd drawn in the background, Angel's face shows her usual compassion as she heals her opponent once more. It almost takes all of her remaining energy from how her form appears shaky. When charizard wakes she almost attacks Angel but is stopped once she gets a look at Angel's calm face.

Discussion is made with charizard looking a bit annoyed but also has admiration on her face, gazing at Angel. Claw to hand shake. Angel turns, vanishing to appear at Ella's side who is finally shown. Ella's gaze is proud and she embraces Angel.

The last shot is of Angel with her eyes closed, asleep. Circling her are the rest of the family. She's utterly content.

* * *

Adept

Well. Now everyone knows us. Angel's display stole many hearts. The cuteness and power she could bring out at the same time has captivated imaginations. Split second teleports, amazingly strong psychic abilities and her unfailing compassion provided such a huge contrast compared to Bri's pride and Tass' casual distaste.

Things are picking up and mom is starting to see what I'm planning. A few reporters have tried to pin me down but I'm not going to give them anything yet. After the conference? Oh yes. Absolutely. But for now the mystery is what I'm after.

Joker is next and holy shit is the world not ready. The things he can do now makes me a bit giddy with what will occur. Dad is back to ignoring us. Bill showed up and they're talking shop. The one good thing about that is that Sunny gets to spend the day with her father. I watch after them and its beyond fun to watch her tell him of her life. He obviously is pleased to see how happy she is and thanks me for taking care of her.

Which is a bit silly. Sunny does more for us than we do for her. I tell him as much and he beams at me.

Sunny sleeps with me that night, tuckered out. Tomorrow Joker is going to ruin some fools. Though I expect it'll be difficult for him at first to deal with the crowd I can't wait.

* * *

Joker

Situation uncomfortable. Guardian insists. Challenge. Be very tricky or be exposed. Accepted.

Query offers advice. Also rules. Allowed to use any illusion of team only. Very annoying.

First enemy. No. Treat like spar. Do not kill. Normal type. Looks lazy. Slaking. Must not get hit.

Imitate Angel. Double teams and be friendly. Hide dig while substitute sends off one attack. Cannot risk more than one. Hone claws. Hone claws. Hone claws. Single attack is a taunt as I come out under massive body. Timed for pause in attacks.

Roar of pain means much hurt. Slaking knows I am not angel but substitute fools crowd to thinking it was mental attack. Perhaps not fully accepted. Doesn't matter.

Come up away from slaking. Grass knot. Grass knot. Every attempt to reach close. Taunt. Grass knot. Sense deep annoyance.

Double team. Dodge many ranged abilities. Dark pulse and night daze disguised as confusion and psywave. Trainer may know something odd is going on.

Slaking nearly out. Dash forward, shadow sneak that is really a sucker punch. Take hit and u-turn to knock out opponent. Guardian suggested she hold up pokéball and act. Deceive. Back on battlefield almost immediately. Now Tass.

Honchkrow. Fast. Ingenious. Night slash combined with wing attack and tailwind. Splits into double team are not enough. Torment to break combo. Dark pulse and thunder wave hit second substitute formed. Only two more before too dangerous to use.

Bounce and feint attack imitate phantom force. Not fully perfected but enough. Flamethrower is magical flame. Lucky that honchkrow doesn't use punishment. Honchkrow now knows. Physical body on back of dark bird. Fury swipes.

Pulse of energy hits hard. Illusion gone. Pain. Hidden power? Act again. Growling. Savage appearance. Must intimidate. Bring claws down over and over. We both crash. Honchkrow out. Still able to fight. Returned though to cause confusion and provide new illusion.

Back on battlefield against machamp. Challenge. Refuse to be returned. Angel imitation again. Bounce constantly to focus blast and shadow ball. Both attacks hidden as moonblasts. This is done well. Train against Angel a lot. Angel can learn both attacks. But would use moonblast.

Foresight ruins plans. Double teams seen through. Illusion broken from smack down and rock tomb. Flamethrower is met with same attack. Dig fails as earthquake causes great damage while underground. Fall within machamp's range. Attacks come quick. Unable to retaliate. Try to use u-turn to escape for real. Things go black.

Wake up later in building. Told Angel came in and made machamp 'a ping pong ball' from how angry she was that injury was somewhat severe. And surprise. Small child saved at ranch is here. Knows of illusions. Still likes me.

Amazement.

* * *

Adept

Joker does what I had hoped. While not perfect, he copies the fighting styles of Angel and Tass enough that I didn't feel confusion from the other trainer for quite some time. Fooling people with pokéball switches was hilarious too. When he was finally found out in the second instance the battle went downhill quick and he ended up with a broken arm.

This provided terror. As Angel got mad. The first time since I've known her. Not from the injury but because apparently the machamp wanted to make Joker hurt out of revenge. He knew that their team was likely to lose because of how effectively Joker tricked them. Angel came in, silent even with her mental images. The next few minutes needed a censor bar from how brutal she became. Pulling power that I thought she only achieved in mega form, she gripped machamp in psychic and used him to plow the ground, evening out the earthquake. Anytime he attempted to use anything to resist or break free she teleported in close, hypnotized him, took them both up one hundred feet and smote him from the sky with a fully boosted moonblast.

Machamp are physically sturdy but even he was out after the third time she dragged him upwards. Mom told me that she heard people in the crowd wondering at her injury and if it created a trigger if there was a serious injury. That actually makes a bit of sense. She always went very quiet whenever we dealt with such cases in the Foundry.

When Joker came to it was to a bit of a surprise. I didn't know that he had saved Daisy during his time at the Ranch. Professor Oak and his family came by to see Joker at Daisy's insistence. I knew Professor Oak and Professor Redwood were attending the conference but I must admit meeting Blue and Leaf Oak was a bit of a shock.

Daisy looks almost exactly as I remember except younger, obviously. As Joker was spending his time in the Center I was told the tale. Three times no less. Once from Daisy, which had hilarious potential for pranking Joker. The second was a smaller tale from Blue that had a hint of guilt in it. Leaf, who is surprisingly chatty, just waved off her husband's negative feelings and asked a ton of questions about Angel and her lack of voice. Not in an intrusive way but more figuring out how that changed her development. In response I just released her and Leaf was wide eyed at how Angel communicates.

The last story was from Professor Oak and the bit of pride he had towards me for how Joker behaved made me a bit misty eyed. Not for me. Joker has _always_ been like that. I told the Professor as such and he was even more impressed.

"So Mr. Joker. Its fine if you're not a lucario. I like you anyway! Thank you for saving me." Daisy is staggeringly cute. She's in a mini-professor outfit of sorts and has a notebook. Tru is nearby, translating, so Daisy can quiz Joker about all sorts of things. I sense that the good professor will be attempting to find a zorua as a partner for Daisy if this keeps up.

"_Welcome. Duty. Strong. Save those not as strong. Yet. Potential. You. Show you first family. Perhaps partner with. Protect each other."_ The funny thing is, Joker has a handful of dark types with his first family now and he doesn't see the divide. Once they proved loyal he regarded them just as much his responsibility as his older family. Tru faithfully translates, as its a learning experience for Daisy to realize wilder pokémon tend to not be as communicative.

"That sounds great! I'd love it. Now! What type of foods do your kind like?" Showing that her last name means something I let her prattle on to Joker, who takes it as he does everything. With quiet acceptance. I've never really seen him panic.

I change that later that night at the clearing. I asked Daisy if Angel could take her memories of the rescue so I could watch them. The first reason is to see how far he's gone with his new trick to have substitutes actually use moves. The second and vastly more important was to perform my first prank on Joker. Why? I'm mean I guess. He doesn't deserve it really but its too hard to pass up.

"Zaela. If you could come over here? Angel has something interesting to show you."

Cue a few minutes of ominous quiet here. The only one who truly feels the pressure is Wattson who carefully takes Tru's hand and starts leading her and Sunny away slowly.

Angel knows what I'm planning and is letting me but she's got that feeling you get when someone you love is making a stupid decision. Not a huge one but one that has you shrugging and sighing at their lovable flaws.

Zaela finishes going through the memory and asks to see it again. By now Tass has slunk into my shadow and Aurora has managed to get Mars to make popcorn. Joker, bless him, is simply observing, utterly blind to his approaching doom. Query is off with the two Professors. He's gotten involved with Mars about all the internet applications. Tonight was bringing in the Professors to possibilities of research being shared globally in easier ways. Also he took about seven board games with him. I'm sensing that's for after the presentation.

"_Joker? If you could come over here? I've a question for you?"_ Oh wow. Zaela has pretty good control there. Not a waver of anger or irritation in her voice.

Joker, bless him again, moves over dutifully and looks way up at my starter then hops onto her shoulder. He tends to do this with her when they have conversations. Usually its him telling her where nearby herd animals are then she flies off with him on board that way. Its as terrifying looking as you'd expect.

"_So Joker. Angel just showed me Daisy's memories of you saving her." _Okay. Now Joker realizes what is going on. He's still not at all socially capable. Even Mars is better off than him. But he can tell that this is precipice.

"_Meant no disrespect. Only wished to help child."_ Good attempt. Massive pride or not, Zaela and all pokémon have soft spots for children and eggs.

"_You think that excuses this? That you could get away with it?!" _There's the anger. Ouch. I don't look at her aura. I'm not going to sleep with her draconic will getting me all antsy.

"_Yes. Did not harm you. Denied Daisy fear."_ Whoa. I've never actually heard Joker say a name besides our family before. Good going Daisy. Made an impression.

"_I don't **CARE **about that! I care about the fact that there were no fucking kaiju noises! Where was the lightning breaht?! Couldn't you have made me more exaggerated? Maybe give me a few more claws?! What the hell man? I thought we were friends! Why were they plain old draco meteors?! Make them a different color! The lighting sucked too! We're teaching you flash or some shit! I should have been outlined in shadowy, evil energy or some shit! We're not resting until you get this right."_

What.

The.

Fuck.

Mars lets out a deep sigh and returns himself. Aurora makes sure to leave Joker and Zaela the popcorn and follows suit. Angel just sends me an image of her shaking her finger at me and a feeling of 'that's what you get' before leaving me alone to stare at Zaela lecturing Joker about how to make it 'just fake enough that its somewhat funny' but also be able to add in true terror if needed.

I lose a bit of sleep at the realization that my starter is a fangirl in her own way. Fuck. Wattson's turn tomorrow. I haven't talked about his new ranged abilities a lot, mostly because he's been keeping it a secret. He kept calling me 'Boss' and 'Bro' a lot though. Something about inspiration from Earth making everything 'uber epic.' I'd be worried but Zaela pulled what I think is a screenplay from my bag. The worst Wattson can do is make a single match awkward. Zaela might possibly create a movie.

* * *

Wattson

Its finally my time! Yeah! Its been too long since I've gotten to shine. More light based things! Puns galore! Alright. Got that out of the way. Today is going to be epic. Tru's got her banner ready and Sunny promised to cheer along as well in the stands. Ella didn't even mind that it is showing off her possibly to opponents.

Oh man do I have some new moves to share! Ella might roll her eyes at me sometimes, for good reason! But if she isn't amazed by how far I've come after this? I might need to enlist Tass for some payback. Nah. Probably not. My girl is getting a bit annoyed by all the fun I'm having with Tass. Might have to dial that down a bit. Its weird that mons say that having a mate shouldn't mean you change.

Fuck that! I love changing for Tru. Not that she asks for a lot. But seeing that I respect her wishes and...Tru-ness or whatever? The way she gives me a soft smile only I get to see? Its worthwhile. What's a tiny bit of fun compared to that? That shit means something.

Whoa. Is this what Query talks about when tells of how Ella finds things out about herself by writing in journal-kun? Wicked. I might need to start my own! But with an weirder name. Actually I should ask what the -kun part means.

So all the fights so far have been gearing up in glam and swag. Time to show what it means to be beyond that! I've been a bit of a one-trick pony. Punching things and dealing with things I have a type advantage for. Enough of that. I'm not sure I can take four mons down myself alone but I've been with the team a year now. Almost. Everything I'm about to show will be new to Ella in a lot of regards. Its my gift to her.

She doesn't know how much it meant for her to offer me that ball. This place. I've got a mate. Who I love more than anything. Once we get back to the Foundry we're gonna see about having an egg. I had thought my life was over. Just a hermit in the woods.

Now I have everything. I love to have fun but this fight is going to be a love letter to my trainer.

Fuck yeah.

Being in a pokéball is comfortable but a tad boring at times. Its worth it for now. We're at the main stadium now. Quarterfinals. This won't be a cakewalk. Not at all. Still. Ella gets picked to reveal first and out I pop. I work the crowd, cheering, raising my fists and screaming my name towards Tru and Sunny sitting next to Ella's mom.

My opponent is a rather blank faced girl with dark, almost marsh green hair. Weird. What's with the doll? Oh neat! Her pokéballs are hovering around her head. Whatever! Look! A claydol. How predictable! Right. I need to survive a bit until I've set up. Hope Tru reads this someday. She'll be impressed by me thinking!

First off, tank the first earth power to propel me up into a magnet rise. I can't quite get it set up yet without a boost. Thank you claydol! Now to toss a flamethrower down for thrust. Ooooh. I can hear the gasps from the crowd. Yes! Fuel my powah!

"_Hey! Mud action figure! You're..Uh. Stupid! And your face looks weird!"_ Taunt successful. Or he's confused. Whatever! Now to light it UP!

Dancing is a joy. This one Ella taught to me one night when everyone was a bit silly. She said a comedian named Risk Marley or something danced like this so well that a game company she loved put it in her favorite game at the time. World of Boardraft or something. You could ride boars in racing I guess? Whatever the case my dance is strong. Rain starts up, I'm meditating, cause dancing is spiritual man. Plus! I have so much swagger that it hits mud boy.

He's raring to smack me down and rocks flow up, then straight down at himself. I'm peppering myself with thunderbolts to raise my speed. Rain clouds give me a lot to work with! Claybutt snaps out quicker than expected and switches to psychic blasts while spinning about like a top. Fucker shoots rocks out like a machine gun but its too late!

The DANCE is my first surprise for Ella but here comes number two! Due to all the excess electricity I have now I'm able to blast back all the rocks and do some nifty flexing. But its for purpose! I'm charging constantly until I can use my new attack!

"_PRISMATIC SPRAY!"_ Wizards sound awesome. I'm totally going to have Query create a real dungeons and dragons campaign for the family. Prismatic Spray is this. One part thunderbolt (won't affect mud idiot I know but it looks cool so it stays) , one part flamethrower (not effective and dulled by rain but it stays!), one part newly unlocked psychic powers (also not effective but you guessed it, looks cool so stays!) one part focus blast (same deal) but the part of it that I've overclocked with all my extra energy? One part signal beam. Its tiring as fuck but I've layered an electric terrain up in the small storm I've got going. I'll be topped off in a few moments. Pity mud-face can't use sunny day cause of taunt!

So I get hit a bit from some rocks but the overpowered signal beam cuts through every psychic blast and hits clay butt dead center. I shoot a thunder at myself to rocket myself after the beam. I'm fast enough I nearly catch up to the impact of the bug move smacking claydude.

The PUNCH is a classic that must be used. Dropping from up high, boosted and using the ice version of the PUNCH detonates the earthquake portion with authority and I've got just enough magnet rise to make sure I don't take the hit too. I'm speeding like a demon and start in on ice punches. I keep a low level signal beam to keep him from teleporting. Something about bug buzzing fucks up psychic moves. The only way I can use prismatic spray is if I fire the psychic beam a little ahead of the signal beam.

Claybrain goes down pretty quick and I dance my way back to center. Oh yeah. The crowd is jamming. Wish I could bring music to this! Weird blank faced trainer's eyebrow twitches just a little. Hah! Oooh. A hypno. This is not going to go well for them!

I rush forward at speed and stagger as hypnosis comes out. They're plotting something too! Nasty like! I can tell.

Such! A! Struggle! More hypnosis! So close! Sleepy! I fall! Out! Zzzzz

Psych! (heh, get it? Cause psychic?) I unlocked Vital Spirit a while ago! It was an act. Watching the hypno try and fail to eat my dreams almost breaks my cover. The point blank thunder that comes down on us both makes the crowd gasp and I'm up. I might love my new ranged abilities but a good old simple thunderpunch is my bread and butter. Hypno can't stand up to it. He tries very hard to disable me but I snap thunder waves at him anytime it looks like he attempts to truly concentrate. Poor dude falls super quick. Should have used a confusion or quick psychic to create space. Hell. Skill Swap would have ruined me.

Anyway! More dancing. I do a moonwalk. It took three months of an extra hour of practice every night but I can do it. Its a fairy move! Hah! Cause the moon. Right. Next guy! Kadabra! Nifty. Oh she's a psychic trainer. Shit. Of course. The floating balls. Ehehe. Tru would roll her eyes here.

Oh fuck! Shadow Balls! Teleports! Psywaves! And fast! Not me fast but this is rough. Okay. Discharges to keep him honest. There. Now he's defensive. Rock tombs. Gotta predict! I go left, he goes right a few times. Give him a blind spot! There! I got this. Wham! That had to have hurt. Oh. He's faster now. Is that Psych Up? Fuck! Well he's got my speed now. Shit.

Eww. He's using his spoon to mess with my vision. Not cool bro. Oh. Irritated look there guy. Gal? Gal. Crap buckets. I'm not screaming here! Time to spam shock waves. They lock onto her electrical signal. The one present in all lifeforms with a nervous system. I take a hit to continue watching where my shock wave flows. There! Thunderpunch might be my favorite way to dish out the damage but the thunderbolt I hit this gal with fries her fur something fierce.

Its irritating as fuck to see her start to heal but it also forces her to teleport and stay in one place. Signal beam surprise is her gift! Then I go for surprise number three!

I can only form one double team right now. But I use it to do something I've waited _ages_ to do. My double team starts waving his hands over one of mine and a giant electro ball is formed. Can I do it by myself? Yes. But Ella has gone on and on about the rasengan she can use but she does it without a clone helping her! Its not _really_ a rasengan! Electro ball works best if I'm way faster but who the fuck cares? It looks awesome as I add in a bit of focus blast to give it that blue tinge. The urge to give Ella a shit grin is devastating but here's where I take a huge dip in power.

My clone can use helping hand for myself. Not at full power. But I'm getting there. I'm just that confident in myself. Yep. I can help myself. This all takes a second to charge and how might you ask do I keep kadabra in one spot?

"_You look like a man!"_ So the people who can understand me go quiet. I can hear Ella slapping her face with her palm. But kadabra ceases recovering and starts flinging scarily powerful blasts of psychic everything. I'm tough though and while I _could_ toss the electro-ahem, rasengan, I choose to remain faithful to the source material! Running forward I yell out as you should when using a finishing move and shove it into my opponent's chest. Do I get tossed around and hit with a shitton of attacks? Yes. Is it worth it when I connect and add in the strength of a thunderpunch and flash a signal beam from a foot away to make the rasengan look like it did all the damage itself? You better fucking believe it is.

Sad to say I go out like a light after that. Joker took on the slowbro after me. It was a boring, long, drawn out fight. Slowbro wasn't quick enough to lock down Joker with water moves and shite. Joker didn't have the strength to take out his bulk even fully buffed for a while. Eventually slowbrow failed to notice that he'd been poisoned because Joker kept distracting him with flashy movements. The thing is, the creepy girl returned slowbro before he was done fighting. Or so I was told. Weeeeeeird. But we won!

What matters is that Ella was suitably impressed and disappointed at the same time! I live for her shaking her head at me! Its great! Wonder why I got revived so long later and that weird blank faced girl is smiling in our room. Seriously. Creepy. Can she read my mind? Oh shit. That grin is way scarier! Uh. I'm done writing Query. Gonna go...that way….

* * *

Adept

I'm going to take what Wattson says more seriously when he says he has a bunch of surprises. The whole fight was horrifying. Normally I'd adore seeing him go nuts but that was Sabrina across from us. Sabrina Natsume. Whose aura already feels so muted. Sad. So alone. Holy shit. Its an effort not to ask for the match to be postponed or something. Wattson going nuts on her team distracts me a lot. It takes a long time for psychic pokémon to mature and it shows. They aren't as quick as I expect nor pack as bit a punch anywhere near Query or Angel.

The reaction time they show is amazing however. Even slowbro, for his species. Wattson seems to break reality with his joy at showing off and later my fame has grown even more. Its a bit sad how my team seems to reflect mostly on me but I suppose us humans are a bit self centered that way. I may train and guide my family well, at least in my opinion, but the true effort comes from them. Then again, growing up able to talk to them all may make me very biased.

But yes. Sabrina. I remember how much she wants to laugh from the anime. That was the big deal right? And Wattson _almost _does it there. His...dance. Oh Arceus. What was that?! His dance almost breaks her. She looks annoyed but her aura tells of her unfamiliarity with the emotion she's experiencing. Its a laugh! Watching my crazy electrivire demolish most of her team in increasingly silly ways paves the way forward. I'm intensely impatient for Joker to take down her slowbro so I can talk to her.

Its then I realize she's been staring at me for a while. Mental shields are a must for me. For now. Someday I hope I find someone I can trust besides my team with my secrets. To share it. I might not be interested in romance yet, physically, but mentally the idea of having someone who I can share my burdens with is stupid appealing.

Sabrina is supposed to be the strongest psychic alive. Human at least. Is she able to get a bit from me? Her aura...Its almost like a prairie dog peeking out a mound in curiosity. Immediately she doesn't care about the fight and returns slowbro. Which is crazy. It had a mega stone. I'm positive she was about to use it. Sure, slowbro is poisoned and she's down three mons but...Right! After her!

I ignore people screaming my name and the congratulations. I make a motion to mom that I'm heading after Sabrina. She just quirks an eyebrow but returns Tru (Who was yelling some rather rude things at Wattson's opponents by the way. I don't think he could hear it over the explosions but I'll tell him later) and Sunny to take back to our room.

People see a bit of my ability as I jump over a few of them and run a bit on walls. Normally this would be calculated into the Plan but right now Sabrina matters more. Who knows if she can teleport or some silly shit right now?

The rushing was hardly needed as it turns out. She's waiting for me in one of the many park-like areas that litter Silver Town. Her doll is in her lap and the floating pokéball trick is done. They're attached to her waist save four. Likely already off to being healed.

"Who are you? I can't enter your mind fully but its...Different. Odd." This would sound all neat and shit if it weren't in a monotone voice of shiver inducing timber.

"Ella Mita. Aura guardian in training." Am I going to poach one of Kanto's strongest gym leaders? Yes. But even if that isn't an option I'm going to save her. She's very pretty. About a year older than me and with almost waist length hair. Odd pink eyes. "The shielding is likely my gardevoir. Her and my metagross switch off protecting my mind each week. I've a lot of secrets with what my dream is. You're psychic yes?"

She looks at me and the barest hint of emotion flows over her face. Its a 'are you an idiot' look towards me and I find myself blushing. Of course she's psychic from her displays. Look. Its a bit awkward! Rose is on my mind a lot but Sabrina is probably the prettiest girl I've ever met. Whoa. Okay. Maybe hormones are coming in quicker.

"Okay. I'll get straight to the point. Not sure how much you know of aura but I sense emotions like you sense thoughts. They call to me. I can read a lot from someone. Not all aura users can do that. Its kind of my specialty among a few other things." Its been a while! But cue showing off an aura sphere in my hand.

The interest she shows isn't that large but it is a start. "Dream?" Huh. Don't speak much do you?

"I'm going to create a world order of guardians. To protect people. From crime, disasters or whatever it is we can help with. I've already started." Why am I trusting her with this? Its a leap of faith. In the anime she turned around a lot but they didn't really show after what she became or at least what I recall. This is what I came to this world to do though. "If you promise to keep my memories to yourself I'll let you look at my dream."

This is less of a gamble. Her aura will tell me if she lies. What it shows now is shock. Most people _hate_ her being able to read their minds. She sees that everyday. That I, who she can't read, would willingly show what might be my deepest desire to her? It hits her hard. Another bit of emotion pops up physically. The tiniest biting of her lower lip.

"...please. Ella. I would...like that." Drat. Still the same monotone voice. I release Angel, who more or less knows what is going on and she lowers a bit of the barriers she's placed around my memories. My reincarnation and all that stay locked but I urge Angel to leave everything else open.

Smiling a bit, hopeful, I move forward and offer her my hand. My calloused, nicked and rough hand. Hers is soft and smooth as she takes it. She probably doesn't need touch to peer into my memories but Angel and Query always seem to find it easier to shield my mind while touching me.

What follows is like Angel communication on crack. It feels like watching a slideshow of my life while stuffed in a dryer at full speed and trying to hold in laughter, a massive sneeze and keep in tears all at once.

Its exhausting but it only lasts what feels like a split second. After? Sabrina is staring at me, mouth agape. Angel is nearby and she forgoes her usual images and all I feel is a bit or worry and awe in equal parts. Sabrina's hair is green in the anime. Its black, almost purple now like the games. What's more? Her aura is normalizing. Emotions flood her that she has context for.

Something I did has changed her. I'm looking at you aura! The BS that it is! Later I get a theory. That Ash's aura in the anime helped change her as much as haunter did. That his genuine urge to see her better reached out. It would make sense considering he befriends fucking everything. That's all later though. What happens then is she springs into my arms and starts crying.

Deep fucking sobs. Ever have that happen to you? What do you do to that? Her emotions are all over the place. Gratefulness and confusion. Massive regret and such pure hope that Angel almost starts dancing to it. Yeah. Angel dances to happy emotions.

I still suffer from awkwardness at time so I just hold her and pat her back until she can talk. She's still gorgeous. Different. Something was off about here and I thought it was her inner problem. It was more. She really has dark purple hair. She's even prettier. To make herself less of a person she's been mentally projecting herself getting plainer. I vaguely remember that from the anime. I'm really lucky she takes time to get a hold of herself because holy shit are the hormones really digging into me.

Gonna need to talk to mom about some things tonight.

"Th-thank you. I...I can feel now. You pushed it away. My mind. Just a bit so I could connect. Your family did it. Such love. Is this what you feel all the time with them?" Oh. I'm sharing my aura. Probably instinctively did that when she entered my head. I'm about to pull it away but she grips me tighter, hard. "Don't! No! It...Its so soothing. Please. I..I don't think I can live how I did before. So cold. Can you teach me how to do this?"

Oh. Well. Let's go with the easy stuff first.

"Yes. That's how much I love my family." Angel sends ups warm pictures of a snuggly blanket at that. Interesting description of affection there but she just sticks her tongue out at me. "As to the other part? Likely not. However...I..Well okay. You could find a pokémon who uses aura to bridge the gap for you. Lucario, togekiss and meinfoo are examples. Medicham have a bit I think? They're part psychic. "

"But none are around here! Please. Your dream. Its bright. I could help. You had plans to incorporate psychic types along with others. Its a good plan!" Holy hell. Did I overload her? I guess years of not being...whole can do it to you. Was this when she started to split her personality? When she could still see a way out of her issue?

"Alright." I can't say no. Gorgeous girl with now blue eyes staring at me with hope aside the pragmatic part of me can't deny that she'd do so very much for my cause….And frankly her story has always been a sad one. To save her from almost a decade more of stunting herself? "If you can wait till the end of the tournament I'll take you along with me to the Foundry. At least to see how things are. Did anyone come here to see you compete?"

She blanches a bit at that. Faking not knowing she has parents that she eventually abused is a bit weird in my gut. Did she start that already? Her emotions read more regret than guilt so probably not quite yet.

"My parents. They left though. We had a fight. Do you think...I don't want you to leave me." The broken tone in her voice is pretty heart breaking and I just hug her into my shoulder. I'm a little taller than her despite being younger. "What if I go back to..._that_? Would you come with me to meet them before you take me to the Foundry?"

My heart. Well. Mom always wanted me to have more friends my age that weren't my monsters.

"Of course Rina. Come on. Lets go get you a treat. You're staying with me until we leave." Fuck it. Screw the consequences. This girl is mine now. Sabrina sticks to me pretty hard the rest of the night. I don't think I have to worry about her regressing but she doesn't have years of being one of the most competent and scariest gym leaders in an entire region behind her. Or likely of her full powers as a psychic come to think of it. Angel hides my thoughts again which actually relieves Sabrina a bit more. Before we get to the suite I pause, licking the mint ice cream cone I chose carefully. It almost dripped on my hand! I hate sticky hands.

"If I'm Rina, does that mean I get to give you a nickname? Maybe...Roughhands!"

Well. There goes my treat. On the ground. Cause of whipping my head to stare at her.

"Really? That's the best you got?" Don't glare at her. Just steal take some of her strawberry! Its almost as good.

"Hey! Stop that! What? You do have rough hands! Fine. Maybe..Uh. Goldiehair." Oh sweet Arceus.

"Rina. I think I'm going to adore you but you have shit imagination."

"Foulmouth! That's another good one!"

Mom opens the door to us wrestling and pulling each other's hair a bit when she calls me 'Cyclops.' I know she didn't mean it in a negative way but some things have to be punished. Mom simply stares and closes the door. Blushing hard, we stop fighting and knock.

This time she peers at us dangerously and lets us in. Introductions are made and I leave Rina with Angel and a promise to just be in the other room. Explaining everything to mom has her staring at me hard. It gets pretty intense and I take a peek at her feelings. Amusement and worry. Okay?

"Alright Ella. So when a girl and a girl like each other..." Oh fuck.

"Nonono! Okay. Stop! I know how sex works! Shit! I. Shit! Stop!" Cursing is usually a no no in front of mom but I have to keep her from giving me this talk. That she bursts out in laughter as I panic doesn't stop me from punching her shoulder. "Evil! Sure...I think she's pretty but I'm still too young for all that."

Seriously. Way too young.

"I know, but I couldn't help myself. I've known for a while there's no boy out there for you Ella. Unless there is something you're not telling me?" The glare I give her sparks another laugh. "Just be careful. I'm sure you can see it but she's this close to depending on you for everything. I don't know what happened to her but don't make yourself her drug."

That's some pretty amazing advice.

"Got it. Balancing that with the obvious care I can give her will be...Interesting. If she is a part of the Foundry things will be easier. We'll both be too busy to give her enough time to dwell." Oh. Oh. I really want to see her team beat the shit out of Bruno. Oh yes.

The rest of the night is as normal as can be for my family. Jokes are played and some movies are watched. Sabrina begs for me to come with her to pick up her team which has mom's advice ringing all that much more in my ears. Still, I can't resist. Her aura is opening up into a glorious flower. Its pretty breathtaking in my sight.

Query and Angel take her under their wing with Tru and they start to reassure her that she's going to stay as she is if she just tries. Logically she sees it but her emotions are so new and everywhere. We sleep in the same bed and I'm cuddled. Its...Nice. And weird. Okay. A little creepy at how quickly she's pushed into my life. Everything is so out of whack that I don't even look to see who I am facing tomorrow.

Its good I didn't. When I see who it is? All emotions flow from me but one. Rage. The semifinals have me against Kyle Ansen.

There is no mistaking the aquamarine hair nor the cap. He may not wear the Rocket colors but Proton stands across from me. Death, sadism and cruelty flow off of him in waves.

While I can't murder him in public, I'm going to add him to the Plan. Compete and utter humiliation.

Its the fight that makes Query famous.

Its also the start of hunting Team Rocket.

* * *

Sabrina

From birth Sabrina was aware. There was some understanding but there was absolutely surety. Her ability to use psychic energy was just another limb. Something that her parents were astonished by but not unprepared for. Her father was strong in his own right after all.

Maturity came quickly. An enlightened mind was her greatest gift and it rapidly pulled her forward. School came easy. Pulling answers from her teachers would have been child's pay but genius was a byproduct of her abilities. Exceptions could have been made to send her out early on her journey if she wished but the focus of her life became furthering her skills.

It was when she was eight and her first fight against a pokémon that had her changing her path. Dark types are the natural predators of psychics. While they may not eat them for food, dark types still enjoy terrorizing psychics for sport. Some at least. A houndour that stalked her going home from school was not going to kill her but to Sabrina it was life or death. So used to plucking intentions out of the minds of everyone around her, the void that was the fire dog's mind became a living nightmare for her once it started to attack.

That it would likely attract its pack just added to her terror. Logic faded and pure instinct came about. Pulling earth, benches and mail boxes to distract the houndour led to a chase. Sabrina teleported, hovered and projected her own thoughts for the first time in her panic. It was so strong that her father's Mr. Mime was out the door of their home in an instant, arriving to drive off the original houndour and its approaching pack.

What it taught Sabrina though? That she was weak. That her focus had to be on her abilities. Her mind adjusted and shifted from her will. Emotions faded. School lost its appeal and she tested out to start her journey early. Her parents were worried at the change but ultimately let her go with her abra. She could not be denied and promised to check in often.

She did not for three years. Her parents sent out investigators, put her up as a missing person and called in many favors owed to them for past services in the League. It was but by chance that they found out she was competing in the Silver Conference. Arriving, they found her quick enough in Silver Town. She could not hide her psychic presence from her father who knew it so well.

Their daughter, when she left, was colder but still showed her generally lighthearted attitude. She was always a bit serious but could joke and tease easily.

The daughter they found was emotionless. Her hair was green and even her face had changed subtly. Her father was barely able to sense that their perception of her was being manipulated. It was no wonder that she couldn't be located. She simply made people forget that she was she.

Words were said. Demands. Tears. Emotions ran high for her parents but it didn't touch her. All they asked was why. In many different forms.

Her response? They made her weak. They coddled her. Didn't let her grow into _power_. This was not the daughter they knew. Even now she was stronger than her father. It was a struggle for him to keep her from erasing their memory of her.

It was too much. They had to flee. To gather other psychics and attempt to balance her at least a bit. Her father despaired. Even if they succeeded she'd be neutered mentally. Unable to use her gifts safely without a miracle. So far was her persona overwritten by the split.

For Sabrina it was validation of her path. That power was the only goal worth going forward with. She disliked battles. There was so much noise going into her mind. Yet, she had to become stronger through it. Her place in the Conference continued.

Things went easily to start. Not many could deal with her split second commands to her team. She knew she was disconcerting to face with her blank eyes and silent demeanor. Showing off a bit of her power drew more attention but also caused her opponents to be intimidated quickly.

Then Ella Mita stood in her path. She'd been picking up stray thoughts about her since the first day of the tournament. Each subsequent day added more and more outrageous rumors. That she had a skilled zoroark was particularly troublesome.

What really cased her to pause was the feeling of her. The presence. It was _power_ but different than hers. That and she couldn't read Ella's thoughts. This would make the fight a bit more difficult but not overly so. The electrivire was an interesting choice but claydol would make short work of it.

Peering into this 'Wattson's mind was blinding. Emotions overruled his thoughts and something touched her. She couldn't concentrate. Snap decisions were too late. Claydol, so used to only obeying her mental voice, was unable to effectively counter Wattson.

Hypno, a poor choice against a speedy electric type, fell quick. She couldn't believe she sent him out. She had so many more options.

Kadabra, her starter, fared somewhat better as she was panicking as much as she could. Her emotions were still locked but her confusion was rampant. The electrivire showed such..Frivolity. It was...Funny?

Was that something she knew before? Kadabra fell and she couldn't even see how it happened. Slowbro was her next choice as Ella was unlikely to have a second counter to water. The zoroark was expected but her slowbro had great defenses.

She decided to push at Ella's mental barriers a bit, knowing she had likely lost this match. Ignoring the slow, drawn out battle, her mind reached and reached.

What she found was even more confusing. Emotion, but as a source of power. What was this? A different path to strength? It was just a hint but she could sense it. It was foreign to her. But also familiar. Like she forgot but still knew. Contradictions abounded. She needed answers and it would not be found in battle.

Returning her last pokémon she walked out. What little she got from Ella was intent to speak with her. Private things would be said so she found an area that had little people. Gentle nudges to their minds had them wander away and Sabrina waited.

Ella Mita found her and the next few minutes changed her life just as profoundly as the houndour did three years past.

How could she forget to laugh? To cry? To love and feel despair? She was awful to her parents. Regret. So much of it. Lost years. The power Ella wielded had a name. Aura. She'd heard a few stories of it but her focus was always upon the strength of her mind.

So central were her goals that everything Ella shared with her was beyond surprising. That she could be as close to her team as Ella was with hers seemed almost a decadent goal. Yet, it wasn't hard from how Ella showed her. Simply time and communication.

She could talk to her pokémon too. Hope sprang from her and it centered around this girl who walked into her life with an honest desire to help her. Oh, she was certain that Ella wanted the abilities that Sabrina could bring to her Order. That was to be expected. Still, Ella's thoughts also showed that she'd give up Sabrina too if she didn't want to join the Order.

What mattered was the feeling! All of them! If Ella was going to create an entire organization that were based on these ideals? To share such things with others? It was addicting. Frightening. Sabrina was always single minded in her interests and this was no different.

Ella Mita was special. So as long as she was wanted, Sabrina would follow her. Learn from her. That she was terrified to regress into the monster she could see herself becoming was a priority, yes.

What Ella let her feel was the true gift. If she could learn again what it was to find empathy and retain her psychic potential? Sabrina couldn't imagine that her previous path would lead to more power.

She still wanted to become strong. That's a goal of every trainer. But now she had hope and the start of compassion to temper her path.

The day became one revelation after another. Ice cream. How long had it been since she even allowed a good meal to be eaten? Her team. They _loved _her. Not as intensely as Ella's did her but enough that Sabrina could tell. A stunted girl could see how her team kept her from going too far. That they had been slowly failing didn't matter.

They tried.

Seeing Ella's family was even more intense. Sharing their thoughts. Laughter followed if not out loud yet. Watching Ella turn at the emotion of her amusement made her blush for some reason. She knew how to blush!

The desperation to keep Ella in her sight was...Vexing. Confusing. So very frightening. As much as she enjoyed opening up it was on its own nerve wracking. Angel, so aptly named, kept her from breaking down. Soothing emotions and understanding flowed through her and she desired heavily to find a raltz.

When she fell asleep, curled up next to her first true friend, Sabrina….Rina knew.

Ella Mita was where her future lay. It was not simply a feeling. The future opened in her mind's eye and it was bright. So many things became clear and others displayed the ability to shift to and fro.

But in all of them she stood behind Ella.

And she was smiling.

* * *

**So! Might as well confirm it! The possible pairings are Rose and Sabrina. I'm heavily leaning Sabrina from how this wrote itself but we'll see! Rose is pretty fucking awesome. Right now everyone are friends only.**

**I didn't see Cynthia as a potential love interest because she and Ella are a bit too similar in the way I view them. Strong, confident and driven. That might work well for other stories but for me I want someone who contrasts Ella a bit more.**

**Rose is driven, sure, but she's also way more stubborn, has no diplomatic abilities what so ever and is obsessive about things. (We'll see that later) Plus she's a rock. Dependable and steady. Not very sexy to a lot of people compared to edgy options or Cynthia's bad assery but there is something to be said for stability. To dampen Ella's recklessness. Cynthia will be champion. That means travel and her own full time job.**

**Sabrina is just fun to write and imagine as a psychic, has a very sad problem and is not hugely confident anymore. So she's going to have a lot of satisfying growth and the way I see her future self will be very fun to write as well.**

**Other than Rose's light flirting and a bit of Ella's hormones there is no dating to be going on yet. Rose is thirteen and Sabrina is twelve. Ella is eleven, if mentally much older. After the time skip romance will pop up and I dread trying to write it even if I think its very much needed.**

**Anyway! Part two of the Plan will come out soon I think. I _really_ want to get to the time skip as I'm eager to show how the Order (Not the actual name) grows. So many ideas.**

**Hope everyone enjoyed all the perspectives. It'll continue next chapter. Query hasn't had a time to shine in a while. Ella's boy is going to let loose.**

**If anyone who reviews this could let me know if they prefer all the team info at the bottom here or say in my profile, let me know? I think it helps to have it here for the rare times I state custom moves and to see how the team is progressing but it does take up a lot of space. Anyway!**

**Guest reviews first then the team stuff!**

**Ramzen- Most of what Angel shows are concepts. Tass flying where he is going is an actual event but had a positive outcome. The legendary being asleep there shows that Ella has made a place that she can feel safe. Which is amazing to Angel. The last is not an actual event but more like Angel's bit of worry that Ella isn't depending on them enough. Something like that!**

**As to your second notice, hope that you're at ease. Both her interests are female. Sabrina's parents were very concerned about her from what I remember of the anime and we haven't met Rose's parents yet. Not going to deny I'm really leaning towards Sabrina right now but I've spent _way_ more time with Rose in my imagination. None of this is my primary concern though. The Order trumps all. Thanks for the review!**

**BATMAAAN- Interesting idea! I hadn't thought of that. Hrm. I'll consider things. That'd take a while though. Thanks for reading!**

**Nene- Another conference is not planned but having disadvantages in fights is! The fights are rough to write, yeah. Bleh. That said I have liked writing this so far a lot so! Might be tempted for more! Thank you a ton for reading!**

* * *

**_**1- Zaela the King Garchomp (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Adamant**__

**_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, Double Team, Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, Rain Dance, Mud-Slap, Dual Chop, Slash, Dragon Claw, **_**__**Draco Meteor, Dragon Rush, Earthquake, **__**_**Stone Edge, **_**__**Crunch, **__**_**Fire Blast, Aerial Ace, Hyper Be**_**__**am**__

**_**Combination Moves: Furnace (Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit)**_**

**_**Pain Whirl (Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and Rock Slide with a helping of Mud-Slap. Confuse them in a tornado made of giant pain rocks)**_**

**_**Grinder- Earthquake and Earth Power to simultaneously disrupt movement and provide a sharp incline to speed up Dragon Rush and manually activate Stealth Rocks. Rock Slide to subtly hammer Stealth Rocks towards vital points. Very tiring.**_**

**_**Ella's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_**

**_**2- Query the Shiny Metagross**_**__** (Identifies Male)**__

__**Ability: Clear Body**__

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

**_**Moves: Iron Head, Iron Defense, Take Down, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Psych Up, Gravity, Ally Switch, Miracle Eye , Scary Face, Brick Break, Meteor Mash, Agility, Magnet Rise, Return, Reflect, Double Team, Light Screen, **_**__**Rock Smash, Hammer Arm. Pursuit, **__**_**Hammer Arm, **_**__**Toxic, Shadow Ball, Hyper **__**_**Beam, Focus Blast, **_****_**Flash, **_****_**Laser Focus, Telekinesis, Grass Knot, Giga Impact, **_****_**Earthquake**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Psi-Fist - A method of psychic manipulation of an opponents gravity and self to make critical hits happen. A variety of punches/strikes with heavy but small piercing-like psychic stabs to balance points. **_****_**Grass Knot and Flash-distracted Laser Focus attacks added.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Two- Constant mind/emotion reading to adapt to attack patterns and psychological weaknesses. Low level confusion waves to occlude and disrupt senses and to influence terror or caution depending on level of threat as well as psychological profile. Can currently use two dedicated brains for state two. Three deemed too detrimental to combat ability.**_**

**_**3- Truthseeker(Tru) the Lucario (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Inner Focus, **_**__**Justified (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Serious**__

**_**Moves: Foresight, Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Detect, Cross Chop, Bite, Mind Reader, High Jump Kick, Agility, Vacuum Wave, Crunch, Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash, Copycat, Rock Smash, Force Palm, **_**__**Aura Sphere, Heal Pulse, **____**Protect, **____**Power-Up Punch, Me First, Calm Mind, **____**Extremespeed, Toxic, Focus Blast, Shadow Bal**__**_**l, **_**__**Thunderpunc**__**_**h**_****_**, Close Combat, **_****_**Bone Rush**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Heal Sphere- Aura Sphere made with heal pulse energy. Very aura intensive but serves as a long range critical heal.**_**

__**EMT- Bullet Punch, **____**Extremespeed or**____**M**____**e First(Depends on move) to target who is attacking ally. Counter if needed while second hand is using Heal Pulse. High Jump Kick away if Quick Attack is not fast enough. Looking into Substitute, Extremespeed and Quick Guard for increased effectiveness.**__

__**Reader: Calm Mind, Mind Reader, Detect to stay in someone's guard. Protect to be **____**used**____** later when unable to dodge.**__

__**Regen: Developed by Joy's lucario. Bounces small Heal Pulses onto a Protect screen to cause small amounts of healing over time. Somewhat draining even when perfected. Calm Mind increases efficiency.**__

**_**4- Sunshine(Sunny) the Sylveon (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Cute Charm, **__**_**Pixilate (Hidden)**_**

__**Nature: Quirky**__

__**Moves: Fake Tears, Tickle, Wish, Yawn, Stored Power, **____**Charm,**____** Tackle, Helping Hand, Baby-Doll Eyes, Fairy Wind, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Swift, Moonblast, Refresh, Draining Kiss, Light Screen, Misty Terrain, Skill Swap, Reflect, Safeguard, Round, **____**Shadow Ball, To**__**_**xic, **_****_**Dig, **_****_**Snore, **_****_**Hyper Voice, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Double Team**_**

__**Special Moves: Talk no jutsu. Seriously. Okay not seriously. Just couldn't resist the joke.**__

**_**5- Mars the Shiny Charizard**_**__** (Male)**__

**_**Ability: Blaze**_**

**_**Nature: Lonely**_**

__**Moves: **__**_**Ancient Power, Flare Blitz, Scratch, Ember, Dragon Dance, Air Cutter, Crunch, Bite, Beat Up, Dragon Rush, Dragon Pulse, Slash, Fire Fang, Dragon Rage, Flame Burst, Flamethrower, Metal Claw, Smokescreen, Wing Attack, **_****_**Fire Blast, Thunderpunch, Hyper Beam, Toxic, Focus Blas**_**__**t, **____**Dragon Tail, Dragon Breath, **____**Shadow Claw. Will o' Wisp, Ominous Wind, Fire Spin, **____**Dig, Earthquake**____**, Sunny Day. Draco Meteor (Currently only in Mega)**__

**_**Combination Moves(Self Taught): Dragon Blitz-High speed directed attack. A fully boosted by Dragon Dance Flare Blitz combined with a Dragon Rush that can be changed mid attack by using an enforced claw with Slash and Metal Claw to dig into nearby surfaces to a new direction. **_**__**Wing Attack and Air Cutter to achieve similar effects in air. Steel Wing desired. Double Team to be added for confusion once completely mastered. Possible Beat Up Clones when team exceeds six members.**__

**_**Smoke Boost- Dragon Dance while setting up favorable terrain with Ancient Power and hoping for more buffs while covered in a Smokescreen. Double Team and Beat Up to be added later.**_**

__**Firewall- Flame Bursts tossed up high and fed with a directional Air Cutter. Flamethrower added immediately after Flame Burst. Able to use without Blaze but cannot sustain it while moving without ability activation. Ancient Power to be added in slowly. Rock Slide an alternative if learnt.**__

**_**6- Aurora the **_****_**Aurorus**_**__**(Female)**__

**_**Abilities: Refrigerate, Snow Warning (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Modest**_**

**_**Moves: Powder Snow, Thunder Wave, Haze, Barrier, Mirror Coat, Sandstorm, Hail, Magnet Rise, Discharge, Rock Throw, Mist, Icy Wind, Ice Beam, Round, Ancient Power, Aurora Beam, Avalanche, **_****_**Thunderbolt, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Safe**_****_**guard, Freeze Dry, Light Screen. Encore, Nature Power, Blizzard, **_****_**Rain dance**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Storm Defense: Ability activation, Sandstorm and Barrier. Omni-Directional Discharge if any non-ground types enter the field.**_**

__**7- **____**Wattson(Thunderbug) the Ele**____**c**____**tivire**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Motor Drive, **____**Vital Spirit (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Jolly**__

__**Moves: **____**Thunder Shock, Cross Chop, Thunderbolt, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Focus Punch, Low Kick, Rolling Kick, Meditate, Dynamic Punch, Light Screen, Barrier, Thunderpunch, Discharge, Thunder, Shock Wave**____**, Focus Blast, Toxic, **____**Thunder Wave, **____**Dig, **____**Earthquake, **____**Electric Terrain, **____**Round, **____**Electro Ball, Swift, Taunt, Rain Dance, Protect, Double Team, Rock Tomb, Psychic, Charge Beam, Swagger, Rock Slide, Bulldoze, Thunder, Signal Beam, Helping Hand, Power-Up Punch, Flamethrower, Mud-slap, **____**Magnet Rize**__

__**Combo Moves: The Punch-A fully motor drive/meditate buffed thunder punch combined with focus punch and electric terrain caused by launching someone with an earthquake. Ice or Fire Punch substituted for vulnerabilities.**__

__**The DANCE- Rain dance, swagger, meditate and magnet rise all at once to impress and infuriate at once! Flash to be used later when learned. Possibly signal beam as well.**__

__**Prismatic Spray- A bunch of moves at once. Very draining. Psychic, signal beam, thunderbolt, flamethrower and focus blast at once. Very flashy, doesn't hit overly hard yet. Just super disruptive.**__

__**Rasengan- Sigh. Double team to add rotation. No. Its just for fucking flair. And apparently able to low power helping hand. Its literally just an electro ball with a blue color that the idiot shoves into someone bodily. Instead of actually throwing it. Working on combining it with focus blast and psychic to make a shuriken. Yeah. **__

__**8- Joker**____** the Zoroark**____**(Male)**__

**_**Ability: Illusion**_**

**_**Nature: Serious (as fuck)**_**

**_Moves: _****_Fake Tears, Fury Swipes, Night Slash, Night Daze, Detect, U-Turn, Imprison, Pursuit, Hone Claws, Flamethrower, Scary Face, Feint Attack, Taunt, Foul Play, Torment, Double Team, Embargo, Punishment, Dark Pulse, Copycat, Sucker Punch, Shadow Ball, Bounce, Grass Knot, Psych Up, _****_Shadow Claw, Snarl, _****_Dig, _****_Focus Blast, Shadow Ball, _****_Toxic_**

**_**9- Angel**_**__** the **____**Gardevoir**____** (Female)**__

__**Ability: Trace, Synchronize, Telepathy (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Modest**__

__**Moves: **____**Teleport, Ally Switch, Trick Room, Dazzling Gleam, Healing Wish, Wish, Heal Pulse, Misty Terrain, Psychic, Confusion, Moonblast, Icy Wind, Mimic, Calm Mind, Captivate, Stored Power, Nightmare, Hypnosis, Dream Eater, Future Sight, Heal Bell, Echoed Voice, Hyper Voice, Hyper Beam, Shadow Sneak, Disable, Confuse Ray, Encore, Imprison, Skill Swap, Destiny Bond, **____**Light Screen, Reflect, Protect, **____**Round**__

__**10- **____**Tasslehoff the Mismagius**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Levitate**__

__**Nature: Modest**__

__**Moves: **____**Spite, Confuse Rate, Scary Face, Mean Look. Toxic, Will o' Wisp, Hex, **____**Sucker Punch, Psybeam, Zap Cannon, Payback, Perish Song, Grudge, Pain Split, Power Gem, Astonish, Phantom Force, Mystical Fire, Magical Leaf, Lucky Chant, Torment, Thief, Trick Room, Dark Pulse, Curse, Torment, Memento, **____**Dream Eater, **____**Endure, Flash**__

__**11- **____**Brightscales (Bri) the shiny Milotic (Female)**__

__**Ability: Marvel Scale, Competitive, Cute Charm**__

__**Nature: Bold**__

__**Moves:**____**Splash, Tackle, Flail, Mud Sport, Hypnosis, Confuse Ray, Mirror Coat, Tickle, Haze, Mist, Dragon Pulse, Dragonbreath, Captivate, Brine, **____**Water Pulse, Aqua Ring, Recover, Disarming Voice, Refresh, Attract, Safeguard, Coil, Rain Dance, Surf, Scald, Ice Beam, Endure, Aqua Tail, **____**Dragon Tail, Wrap, **____**Round**__

**_**12- Legend the ? (Female)**_**

_****Literally a legendary. Seriously. Its happening. Ella's ultimate goal for proof of her path to the world. Loses to Zaela a lot supposedly. For now. Possibly psychic or some mental ability.****_


	19. Ch 19- Adept and the Plan Part 2

**So excited to get started. A few shout outs for excellent ideas brought up by reviewers.**

**Episoph for an upcoming chapter of _Snippits of a Dream _that will show Lance, Clair and Steven's reactions to the conference fights. Maybe someone else too! As well as giving me the idea as to how I'll be dealing with all the abilities/combo moves at the end of the chapters. Once the legendary is caught it'll go to my profile for reference. Any new members, if I decide Ella will catch more, will show up the chapter of and then be on the profile after that.**

**Deus Aut Bestia for reminding me of the summer camp where Ash and Serena meet. That was totally not in my plans but its now!**

**And finally Creus for imagining a much more fun idea of Sabrina's possible future self.**

**Don't have much else to say! Review responses will start popping out after I post this chapter.**

**Onto the story!**

**Disclaimer- I don't own anything of pokémon. Just the ocs!**

* * *

Adept

In front of a fuckwad

Hello there Proton. Kyle. Is that your real name? Oooh. Trying to glare at me. Intimidate the eleven year old girl. Your aura makes me want to puke almost as much as I want to break your face. I was going to send out Bri, Tass, Angel, Joker or Wattson for this fight. My original six were to be saved for Cynthia.

But for you Proton? I'm going to crush you. Query will crush you. Out of anyone, including Tass, Query is the most cruel. When he feels he should be. Zaela still has not beat him in a close quarters fight. The moment she can set up ground and wide range terrain attacks he loses almost always but he's also the slowest to gain strength. Psychics get a high boost at their final evolution but their minds never stop growing more powerful.

Someday Query will match Zaela. Hopefully before I have grey hairs. But it'll come. Asshole Proton sends out his infamous golbat first. Its wicked fast and tastes of the vomit aura that its master has. I should think of why he's here or if he has partners here. Even if he's not a part of Team Rocket yet there is such evil in him already. He's maybe sixteen? Seventeen? And already his signature tastes of murder. Mine does too but I hope its justified from who I have killed already.

This is irrelevant. Its time for Query to show the world how we treat Team _Anything_ members.

* * *

Query

My heart-voice is beyond angry. Its nearly matched by my own distaste. And anticipation. Since I've been able to view her mind despite being in a pokéball I have reveled in experiencing her emotions. She hides nothing from me. More so than any other of the family save Angel. It says something that our aura enhanced trainer trusts her two psychics with her inner most thoughts.

Tru would probably be on this list if she actually asked to be on it but she still has lingering guilt about ever doubting Ella. I find this annoying and rather dubious. Tru had excuses early in coming to us. Now? Not so much. That's her problem though. She only has to request help to solve it but pride strikes all of us at times.

When I'm released Proton attempts to recall his golbat. Its not possible. I work best in close combat. Golbat is a hit and run attacker. Normally this would be quite effective towards me. I'm not counting my type advantages.

I dislike long ranged attacks. I cannot bring crushing, breaking force from long range. That does not mean I do not have skill in them however. Psychic pulls golbat just enough out of range of the return beam while I use one of my favorite abilities. Pursuit.

Since Ella lost her eye I have concentrated more on speed than anything else. I am likely the fastest of my kind alive. Agility just makes it surprising to a fantastically satisfying degree from how the crowd gasps.

Psi-Fist is for worthy foes. Golbat is a creature of terror from how my heart-voice is experiencing its aura. Humiliation is the goal here. My fist comes down in an ability I've been working on. Its to take out a foe in one hit. It is meant to kill.

If we were anywhere else I wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger. My leg sharpens and hits the frail creature right in its temple. Psychic power flows from my contact as three minds concentrate on reading its mind and searching out its ability to use its nervous system. These minds send twelve separate, opposing psywaves within golbat's head to bounce around, meeting at the single point within its consciousness that lets its mind control its body.

It looks like I've knocked him out in one blow. Which I could have done with a physical attack as well.

What I've actually done? I've shredded golbat's ability to move. Permanently. Likely Proton will simply let it die or abandon it but until it dies it will never be able to eat by itself. Fly. Terrorize. I've trapped it in its mind. Even its senses no longer work for it. Just thoughts.

I stomp back to my true place. Standing in front of my heart-voice, protecting her from evil that dares face her.

Proton slavers and curses. So much that the referee has to admonish him. The mask he wears falls so easily. A drapion comes next. Better. But worse as well. My opponent is judged by the heart-voice.

It stalks forward, snarling and sending dark pulses towards me. Sunshine has the strongest barriers among the family but I am a close second. Anything that gets through I ignore as paltry damage.

I fight with a King. Daily. Drapion comes closer. I am impressed. His claws are using x-scissor and night slash at the same time. His tail has channeled a fury cutter and his mouth opens in a crunch. Mars suggested something last night after the...dependent one went to sleep with my heart-voice.

Double team is a move I dislike because I don't need it. I am strong enough to stand tall with anything. However. This is not about proving something. This is about making a point. Images of myself spread far and above, each image diving down to attack drapion. He ignores them, sure of my presence. Three minds pick images and apply psychic energy to give my copies a psychic signature.

They are allies and I switch with the first. Wattson will be annoyed I used his trick but it matters not. Plans 37, 56, 359 and 708 are accepted. Giga Impact powered by a return is my fist blow. My loyalty and love of my heart-voice craters drapion. Likely he would be down now but this is not a battle. Its destroying Proton's image.

The second switch has me coming at a different angle. Mach Punch leads into a hammer arm that cracks the carapace of my enemy. It has only been 3.35789 seconds. The last switch is where I allow things to be needlessly flashy. The first two attacks were just slow enough to give a hint of what happened but I allow plan 359's theatrical nature to drive Ella's Plan forward while achieving my goal.

My remaining ten or so copies speed up to me, flashing, each of them, showing off my shiny nature and appear to make me glow brighter. In reality I am simply using rock polish as a way to boost plan 706 against my next opponent as well as to accent the bright hyper beam I've been powering. My form stays safely in the air, flight quite easy with two minds focusing on gravity and magnet rise. Gravity bends the light of my beam to make the eventual flare more focused and magnet rise shifts the usual straight flow of energy to appear jagged, as if I can barely control it.

The hyper beam fires. I am not as good at ranged attacks. Proton will not believe this with how much damage drapion takes now. The stadium rumbles as I crack the world. There is a light screen down there saving drapion's pathetic life. No killing in public unless life or death. Miracle Eye wasn't even needed. The barest bit of signal beam adds onto the attack not for any damage but to make the sound even more distinct. Instead of the pure roar of a usual hyper beam I focus a mind on making my bug attack cause distinct 'shoom' 'shoom' 'shoom' bass tones in time with each copy briefly coming back into existence as shadows of my power.

Its just a normal hyper beam but everyone watching _knows_ that it isn't. They are sure that I'm something _more._ Drapion does not. He's a ruin at my feet.

Calmly I walk back to stand in front of my heart-voice. The crowd is hushed as drapion is returned. They aren't sure to be afraid of me or to cheer. This will change. I feel a ping on Ella's defenses and my awareness leaves the monster in human form with two of my minds. Ah. The dependent one wishes to know why we are treating this one like this. My heart-voice advises me to continue the Plan and I do as the dependent one is informed of how an aura signature can induce projectile vomit if it is foul enough.

Proton makes me a fan of his idiocy. Magmortar. Ella did say that Team Rocket members tended to stick to certain types and species. The magmar that we saw in the destroyed base flash in my mind and I spring 708. Rollout turns me into a steel boulder of death. I do not move toward magmortar yet. His range is my range. Melee. The flame bursts and embers he sends at me are quite strong. Hotter even than Mars' flames.

Light screens deflect them just enough to obscure me for tenths of seconds. I calculate it will add up enough times if continued to enact 709, c version. This pleases me. Reflects and my own psychic potential roll me into the sky. My own course is plotted to dodge around lava plumes, heat waves and flamethrowers that edge into blue flame they are so hot. Sunny day must have been used.

The heat rises that the psychic barriers that keep the crowd safe flicker constantly. My speed becomes critical and I've no way to dodge some of the attacks. It doesn't matter. He's used up enough energy for a head on collision to be acceptable.

Iron defense and rock polish have made my rollout deadly. Creating my own roller coaster mid-air has put me past speeds that Wattson can achieve without full boost.

It is a strain but Proton is worth it. Down I travel. Wind whips hard and it looks as if I will miss. The crowd gasps. I center my gravity to magmortar's chest and time it so that I'm at a sixty degree angle to the earth. Light screens shatter constantly as magmortar's desperation at my impressive speed is delicious to see. Flame bursts, flame throwers and yet another lava plume attempt to send me off balance. More damage gets through but its acceptable.

The fire blast that is his last frantic attempt washes against my saved protect. Rollout depends on momentum. Not actually hitting. A miss stops the build up because usually whomever using the rollout is counting on impact at the right time to spring off their target at an angle.

I boosted my rollout constantly, mid-air and let go of my agility to rock polish. It energized my rock attack perhaps 6.7943 percent. That's 13.5886 percent extra damage to magmortar though. I crash into him and drag him down into the earth. Of course I activate an earthquake. Of course I make sure one of my minds is also using zen headbutt, which is that much stronger since I'm not concentrating on agility.

If I hadn't boosted my defense it would be likely I would be out. Usually the protect is used to minimize the damage I take from Meteor as I call this attack. How did I keep on track at such speeds? Aerial Ace.

The stadium thrummed at my hyper beam. This attack cracks barriers and tosses a few people from their seats. The ground of the arena buckles not in the wave motion of a natural earthquake but instead acts as if I set off a bomb under it. Jagged spikes and rubble hurtle into the air and fall back down to create a dust cloud that doesn't fade for a full minute.

Magmortar is ten feet underground when everything clears. I stand burned, dented and ready in front of Ella once more. The exact spot I've been standing has been carefully preserved by one of my minds for psychological warfare. The picture is clear. I might go out to destroy the world but when in front of my trainer nothing will mar my conviction. This is where I belong until directed otherwise.

My heart-voice tells me that such a picture isn't quite as clear to those with only one mind but that everyone she feels are suitably astounded at the image.

Proton is losing it just a bit. It might also be because my heart-voice is being a bit naughty. She doesn't like forcing emotions on other people but she is subtly sharing her disgust and wrath against Proton with him. Like a sword constantly hanging over his head. She's not pressing it so much that it will inhibit his ability to battle but she wants him off balance. I sense that something will occur after the battle to track him down.

Excellent.

My heat-voice warns me that Proton's panic has made him decide on something drastic. Something she feels he was saving for the finals perhaps.

A tyranitar. Ah. Interesting. It will fall.

Even more interesting. This is mega-tyranitar. I am not impressed. My request flows to my heart-voice but she's already concentrating.

Finding her as a beldum. My revelation of self. My first board game. Sunny's laughter. Aurora and Zaela arguing. Angel showing Mars how to give a compliment. Wattson and Tru curled up, watching the stars.

Joker leaning against me. Trusting me to protect him as he sleeps. Tasslehoff and Brightscales are not yet here but they will be. I can feel it.

My body shifts and shines bright as the last image forms. My sculpture outside of the Den. Now transported to the Foundry. Ella. Always Ella. Mega myself.

Mega Tyranitar is worthy of miracle eye. My speed is pushed further in this form. Mega Tyranitar closes, not wanting to have me time to set up. Every one of Proton's team members were to make certain he didn't want me to get away. Taking out golbat quickly could be blamed on my type advantage.

Destroying drapion was mostly my first two attacks but I disguised knocking him out with the hyper beam.

Meteor was obviously built up from afar.

Mega Tyranitar comes into my trap, bringing a sand storm that Zaela would scoff at but that most would find difficult. I can't have that though. This must be seen. I toss up a sunny day. I learned weather effects to support my team after fighting against Hannah. It is frustrating to be mostly immobile currently while becoming field commander so at the very least the ability to boost elemental effects or give Zaela more sand was worth the tms that my heart-voice bought.

Now though? The sandstorm fades and I'm in melee with my foe. Psi-Fist Step Three is ready.

One mind passively reads Mega Tyranitar's. Every strike he attempts is dodged. Mind two controls our body with gravity, telekinesis, magnet rise and psychic to make it look like nothing can hit me. Mind three focuses on status effects. My body flashes in searing stabs to Mega Tyranitar's eyes. My shine combined with the sunny day make the light nearly a laser and my opponent roars with pain and involuntarily takes his vision away from me. In my normal for I have to have each mind use psychic stabs. I'm up to four each now.

Sixteen separate spears of energy to disrupt balance. When I turn mega that jumps to twenty four and I only need one mind to control them. Mind three considers this a status effect and the destruction of Mega-Tyranitar begins. Miracle eye lets me start to toss him into the air so that he's level with the ground. Shock explodes in his thoughts as he is now flying over me.

Mind two shifts me to point straight up, so that all four limbs are set to catch Mega Tyranitar as he falls.

They do not. Instead mind four unleashes my attacks. Every attack is modified by bullet punch. The staccato I form is brought into creation from hammer arms, meteor mashes and rock smashes. Any attempt of gravity to claim my prize is denied by mind three's spears. They are so strong they penetrate his armor at times when I critical hit.

Which is every strike. Laser focus runs constantly from mind one. To narrow attention on Mega Tyranitar's mind and unleash the true path of Psi-Fist Step Three.

I've already showed the world it. Golbat got just a hint. Every attack, now up to thirty six punches, pulses psychic energy into Mega-Tyranitar. If I wanted he would be dead now. If I wanted he would be down now. Instead of carefully targeting an area my strikes can shut down I'm shotgunning insides. This is combat to kill. Every hit. His dark nature protects him from the full effects but he's unconscious already from his organs refusing to work, shorted out by his body telling itself that it has died seven times.

Confusion fries the nervous system. I've struck every node I could find with my laser focused first mind. While golbat will live, trapped in his own hell, Mega-Tyranitar will just exist. Thoughts may come back in years but nothing of his body works anymore save breathing. Even that may fail later.

36.97201 seconds have elapsed since Psi-Fist Step Three wound up. Mega-Tyranitar started to revert 4.719 seconds ago but I felt I could get in a few more attacks without others questioning hitting a dead rapidash. Proton's final champion lays before me. Every piece of armor is cracked and destroyed. Life is present but he will no longer have this monster as a weapon.

None in the crowd will know how deliberate I was in destroying these creatures. Even if they did die it happens in high level battles. Not as often as in previous decades but it does. One can't be tossing out hyper beams and expect it to just result in a bruise.

The stadium was silent save for the breaking of Mega-Tyranitar's rocky hide. As I once again find myself where I belong it starts. Cheering. Screams. Call outs. All towards my heart-voice. She finds it annoying that her family is not given more credit but I disagree. We would not be here without her. Her drive is our drive.

As much as I wish to let her enjoy the victory I've given her I know that Proton must be handled. It fits with the Plan though. Mystery and power. As I'm returned, shifting from Mega, I feel her love surround me. My heart-voice speaks and as always I listen.

_I am._

* * *

Adept

My mind races just as my body does. Watching Query dispose of Proton's pride was amazing but I can't help but think of Sabrina as I dart through the crowd, subtly using my aura to push emotions away from me. Its not quite a Jedi mind trick but its close. People just get more interested in other things. It feels a bit dirty to affect someone else but I can't let Sabrina go it alone.

My thoughts flash back to her mind poking at mine in the match. Of the questioning thoughts. Of the _why_ she wished to know. Why was Proton affecting me so? I'm her lifeline right now and she's used to talking with her thoughts. Even before her fall she talked with her parents more psychically than physically.

"**Rina? Next time wait till I'm done with the fight?"**

"**But you are so..Angry. Is that what your feelings are?"**

Alright, maybe I should dial down our connection. She asked very shyly this morning to let me feel her emotions and her mine so that she could get context for them. She didn't even know that she was being shy. It broke my heart again so I've linked us as I often do with Tru. Her emotions are so muted I forgot it was there when I walked into the stadium.

"**...fine. Yes. This man is likely of Team Rocket. I won't lie to you Rina. I want to kill him. Badly. If you join my order you may have to someday. I'm not going to coddle you. Nor get rid of all of the habits you consider scary right now. I want you to grow in power as much as you grow in emotion."**

I'm playing with fire a bit but I'd be doing her a disservice if I lied to her at all. That's not how things will work with my order. The emotions she sends back are relief and acceptance.

"**I never wanted to be safe. Power is not safe. Do you wish for me to drain his memories Ella? After Query is done playing with him?"** Okay. Did not expect that. I hesitate for a moment but then my goal overrides my caution. Even with how much I want to help Rina she's a tool just as much as I am in saving lives.

"**Sorry, but yes. Do your best to make sure he goes on as is...Oh. Shit. Can you...Set up a trigger? Say. Get him to do something drastic when given a signal or behave a certain way? Give him a lie as truth?"** Sabrina's emotions whirl a bit with excitement then guilt. As if she likes the idea but also knows she shouldn't. Then shock again as I speak. She knows that I can feel her emotions but having it proven over and over takes some getting used to. **"If you do this its on me. I'm commanding you to do so. If you don't think you can do it then you won't be joining the Order's military arm. Your power is far too useful. Almost more than mine. I won't think any less of you though. I promise."**

I really wish Proton hadn't shown up just now. Query is setting up Meteor. The good thing about this mental speaking is how fast it goes. Sabrina thinks for a bit longer, which for her is quite a lot of time.

"**I want this. But...Ella. Promise you won't let me go too far. I like the power. Its a part of me...Just help me stay me."** Shit. Am I turning her into a different monster than the one she was going to be? She's hesitated while talking to me but _something _in her has such astounding conviction about me. As if she's so sure of my cause that its pure truth. Urgh. First I have to reassure her though.

"**Absolutely. I've got you Rina. Now. Pay attention. Query is about to show why no one can beat him face to face."** Rina's thought focus on my boy and I push my concerns aside. Its time to be the leader. I'm going to be guiding people into fucked up shit. Rina is just was in the wrong (or right) place to be the first.

I admit that I'm so very satisfied by a pokémon's likely death as Query puts Mega-Tyranitar into the ground. All of Proton's team are just as twisted as him. Query and I put on a show as the roars of the audience become loud enough to make my bones rattle. Proton leaves immediately and I feel Rina's signature wink out as she teleports after.

Even if she's going to do this I'm not going to let her do it alone. Thus I'm after her.

Tru and I can sense people up to almost five miles now together. Even more if we push it but its hard to differentiate signals after that. Myself? A mile is easy and Rina's aura sings to me. Her presence is already so very vibrant in my eyes.

Maybe that's her destiny there. Steven, Lance and Clair show up like that as well. Rose and Liza. Bruno. Joy and Becca. I leap, clearing a story and a half in an alley and climbing the shop takes mere moments. I come up to see Sabrina standing over Proton, her two hands on his head and her eyes flaring the pink color she had when I first met her. I prefer the blue immensely but I can tell how the pink could be disconcerting to her enemies.

Her kadabra stands nearby, pulsing her spoon out to keep the noise of Proton's screaming from alerting everyone nearby. I wait patiently but also send out support with my emotions. They cause Rina to freeze a moment but her eyes change colors and she smiles faintly even if it comes down in a frown a second later.

Even that slight smile and frown are more emotion she's shown in years if my guess is correct. What feels like forever passes and she shudders, taking a deep breath and moving away from the almost comatose Proton. He's a piss poor sight. Aquamarine hair is in disarray and his eyes stare, tear streaked, at nothing.

"He's fine. It'll take a while for his mind to accept things. Kadabra will make sure he finds his way to his room. Sleep will solidify my commands." Rina shocks me but coming up and drawing my arm around her then leans into my shoulder, sniffling. "You were right. He's a monster. So much pain before long, lingering deaths. If...this is what you fight I will help you forever. Before yesterday I would look at what he did and simply think he was wasting time. That if you needed to kill someone just do it."

My arm grips her form as she shudders. Her gorgeous face peers up at me, her own tears staining her skin. It doesn't at all detract from her beauty. Damnit.

"Now I know its wrong. So simple a concept. Empathy. To put myself in the place of his victims. Never let me go back Ella." Fuck. Mom was right. This is going to be such a hard balance. Whatever. She's already done so much. Angel could never bring herself to rip and alter minds. Query doesn't have the delicate skill needed. To attack one? Sure. But draw things out? Not a chance.

"...I said I got you. I do. Just...Don't...Look. I'm going to order you to do this again. Likely. And train you to kill. My skills lie in support but you could destroy so easily. Are you certain this is the path you want?" Her blue eyes glitter a bit and she just snuggles into me. Her aura is oddly warm, as if she hadn't just mind raped a monster.

"Mm...Can we get some more ice cream? I'd like something sweet before I write down the important bits he knows. Besides. Someone just made the finals. My treat." Kadabra pulses out with Proton a moment before Sabrina takes us to the same stand we were at the night before.

Is it bad I'm both attracted and frightened at how she's changing into something scarier than what I remember from the anime?

Well, she's right. I won and a bunch of people are in the suite waiting to talk to me. Professor Oak, Redwood as well as Daisy with her parents. Bill and Dad are working on something in a corner and mom is grinning at me the moment I enter as well as waggling her eyebrows at Rina. She doesn't know what that means so simply waggles her eyebrows back.

I almost choke with the laughter. A short celebration is had to take the nervousness away from tomorrow. Cynthia. Of course it would be her. A few things stand out. I never really got into Blue and Leaf compared to Red. A lot of people like them and wrote about who the could be but frankly I'm under enough stress from these last few days that I used up all my fangirling on Cynthia.

However…

"Did you mean to try and kill that kid's team?" Okay. Blue is a former Champion. Right. Scary. Professor Oak was with him as well. Both had the same expression. A bit of anger but also the option to hear me out first.

"Yes. He's Team Rocket. I told you the barest minimum of how I met them before Professor. For your safety. Now. Blue. Can I call you Blue so you both don't turn at Mr. Oak? Good. I can sense aura. Your wife for instance is very likely going to try and pour water down your shirt from how her feelings are spiking into mischief. Daisy is currently expressing a want to sleep but also I...think a desire to steal Joker tonight to watch over her sleep. She might not be fully over her ordeal. Do I need to go on?"

His wide eyed gaze and the quick look to his wife, which results in her whistling innocently and walking away with her glass of water give me my answer.

"So. Let me tell you that Proton, as is his true name, is among the most vile of people I've ever felt. If I could have broken every bone in his body right then and there I would." My face must be something scary because Blue takes a step back. Samuel just sighs and looks tired. Rina, who has taken to hovering around me while meditating opens her eyes and grips my hand. Weird how quick she's fit into my life.

No romantic feelings yet journal-kun but holy shit is it easy to be around her.

"I see. I assume you can't prove this. I would have been notified if a Rocket agent was caught." Oh right. He's Ace or something high up. My eyebrow raises at his dad and he just shrugs.

"It wasn't my place to tell him of your order...and I wasn't sure if I wanted another potential target on Daisy's back." I guess that would hold true. Blue and Leaf are famous. They must have their fair share of dangers.

"Alright Blue. I know you don't know a lot about me other than maybe a bit of what your dad has told me but...It all started when I was four."

I don't get a convert out of it completely but Blue does agree to send me anyone who might be interested in what my goals are as well as a bit of a riot act not to overstep my bounds. Wonder if he'll look me up and find out I killed a lot of Rockets in 'self defense'. Probably. Well, hopefully notable event number two will give me more leeway.

I sent Angel off on a trip that morning. A message was delivered and I got a yes back. Then I made a call to the Foundry. The Plan was getting a giant boost.

Lastly, after I did indeed let Joker go and help Daisy sleep, Leaf came up to me. She's shockingly tiny really. But her aura is bigger in heart than anyone here.

"So! Blue told me about your thingy. The group and stuff! I want in."

Uhm.

"Wait. Didn't your husband just say he'd be watching me? And..Like. Lay down the law?" Seriously. I'm confused.

"Oh sure. He can be a fuddy duddy. But the Prof sucks at keeping secrets from his family. Daisy knows about Latias so I know about Latias. Blueboy doesn't though. So I hacked the Prof's files, got him better security, and found out about Latios….And your king."

Double uhm. Add in a dash of 'oh shit'

"I figure you'll probably be showing her off tomorrow so don't worry about spoilers. Still, if you've met one legendary I imagine you know others. Daisy came home that day she got lost more excited about her new dream than anything I've seen before. She's astoundingly grounded and is having more fun studying legends inside than she ever did learning at the lab." She pauses, looking over at her husband.

"Blue doesn't get it yet. That she's going to leave and get into dangerous places. From what I can tell from the Prof's files your order will be about protecting the people first. If I join you'll get a legitimate, well known researcher who can bring some power to your agents as well. Plus keep Blue off your back. What I want in return is training for Daisy. Query shocked the world today. I know it. Blue knows it. Its why he confronted you. He knows what species you hold and he's a bit terrified of what you could do. You didn't say a single word in any of your battles."

Leaf moves closer, peering up at me. She's just shorter than I am. But she's quite frankly the scariest person I've met besides Momma and mom.

"When Daisy starts her journey I want her to spend a year with you, wherever this Foundry is. The Prof didn't actually name its location. Which is good. We'll handle her team but one. You forge my daughter into something near you. Find her a riolu to protect her spirit. The Prof trusts you. So I will. So! You get me. I get my daughter safer towards her scary dream."

Its a great deal. Amazing. Joker already adores Daisy. As much as he shows it. Leaf of course will know where the Foundry is and probably will visit a lot when Daisy is there.

"Deal. One caveat. Blue can't come unless he's off the clock so to speak. For now. While I'm not planning to break the law my order is going to go into some dark places." Leaf considers that for a bit, weighing the pros and cons. Her hand reaches out and we shake. Her aura fills with a bit of excitement and a lot of worry for her daughter. Daisy won't be joining the order if she has her say in it. Which is fine. I doubt Daisy would enjoy our work anyway.

"Right! Time to go tell Blue he was right that you'd be afraid of him. Night!" I'm sorry?! What the fuck? Blue just winks at me as he walks out the door and I don't know what happened.

Mom and I briefly talk strategy but I am too tired to concentrate. For the first time in years she picks me up and carries me to my bed. Rina is already there, curled up in a ball and mom just snickers before tucking me in. She's about to make a dirtyish joke but simply snickers at my glare before kissing my forehead.

"Good night daughter. Tomorrow you become champion." Everything about her says she has not a single doubt in her statement. I might be doing this for the good of the Plan but I can't help but let out that fan in myself. That dreamed from the first pokémon game to win the league. Sleep comes swiftly.

Next Day

This is it. The Plan hinges on beating Cynthia. I'm certain I'll win but she's always been scary as an opponent. She doesn't know my team though. Not at all. While I have the unfair advantage of knowing every mon she's ever used in a champion level battle. At least from the games.

The morning was a blur. Stand out moments were Sunny and Aurora making pudding. Query and Mars discussing something. Angel showing Joker and Daisy how to draw. Huh. Angel's pretty good. Wonder if Mars has been teaching her. Tasslehoff is surprisingly kind and aids my mom in setting up my outfit for tomorrow if I win. Maybe he's just scared of her. Zaela sits with me, our thoughts as one.

Wattson dances for everyone, showing off and making the clearing we stand in laugh. Even Sabrina, whose kadabra is_ fascinated_ by Angel. Tru meditates, unaffected by everything, the long list of notes Rina wrote down from Proton's memory in her lap. To her the Conference is over. Only the mission we start after tomorrow matters.

Brighscales is the one who breaks my thoughts and reminds me of the time. Her voice is surprisingly docile compared to normal. Leaf and Blue stand off to the side, his blastoise staring at my group a bit in wonder. Something about us fascinates him. Wonder what that might be?

"_Ella...Angel...Showed me more of what you plan. This. This is real isn't it? You're trying to save the world?"_

Zaela snorts and lays her claw delicately upon my head. The curved part that doesn't penetrate. She's being a brat.

"Yep. I suppose you saw how Query fought? It'll be life or death at times for certain. Still want to go with us?" I don't think she's having second thoughts but I could be wrong.

"_No. I still want to be here...Its. Its bigger than expected. That's all. Some things seem...Less important,. Anyway. Its time. Sorry. Query told me to tell you."_ Hah! My guy is sneaky. He could have just sent the thought to me. He probably saw Bri all contemplative and wanted her to talk to me if only just a bit. Time to talk to the team.

"Alright. You all know what this means. Cynthia is tough but I don't think she can match us. Not at all. That isn't the goal though. Years upon years. Day after day. Hours, minutes and seconds all driven with blood, sweat and effort. All of it led to today. If we win, tomorrow marks the beginning of it all. Of everything we have reached for." My eye moves from my family, one by one.

"Some of you follow me for glory. For new experiences. For a sense of purpose or to find a place in the world. But all of us fight for each other. I say that the world is our family. That the loyalty and dedication we show each other should be offered to all those who can't do what we do. Its a giant, impossible dream. But we're here. Right before it. Beloveds. All of you won't be in this last fight but we who will be know your thoughts are with us."

My family roars out, shocking the Oaks but the emotion we show causes Rina to grin at me and her blue eyes sparkle with happiness.

Mom and Dad watch me nearby, holding hands. Pride exudes from them both and I turn before I let it affect me. Everyone but Tru returns themselves. Cynthia awaits.

Stadium

This is more like it. The noise is insane but it falls away at the grin of the girl across from me. Flashes of cameras explode and it takes a minute for my eye to adjust. Everything fades away but her and my goal. I ignore the words of the announcer. I ignore everything but the moment.

Cynthia goes first. Togekiss.

Alright. Time to meet my son.

* * *

Mars

I...will admit. This is pressure I am not fully prepared for. My skills lie in planning and instinct. The people surrounding us is a bit much. But Mother is counting on me. The murmurs at the sight of my black scales fade as I concentrate on the fairy in front of me. Dragon abilities are my favorites but fire has become what Zaela and I work on when we spar.

It is a pleasure as we start to dance in the air. Togekiss. Fighting Zaela is power and decisive action. Togekiss' attempts to foul my wings, subtly guide me into traps of future sights and continuously healing herself are quite the nice change.

Still, it is not enough. Its time to show the world more of what we are. This Plan was mine. I must be impressive and everyone after me will do the same in some manner. It is regretful that this many hit Cynthia hard but given what Mother knows of her I predict she will rise from this, stronger.

Today I wear the _Y_ mega stone. All I need on my end is to think of mother's proud eyes staring down at me as I hatched. My wings extend, staying black. My flame shoots skyward in its intensity and the evening sky explodes into light.

This will not take long. I fall behind Query and Zaela in power. Just ahead of Aurora. But as I am now? The arena floods with my flame, blue and bright, creating a new sky of the ground in its glittering beauty. Togekiss attempts to heal through it with morning sun but I'm in close now, surprising her with how I use my tail flame to burst my speed. From there it is over. Slashes, flare blitz and careful deflection of her sky attack have her on her last wings. I allow togekiss to be returned.

Spiritomb is next. I had hoped for this. Good. I keep my distance. Pot shots slam upwards and I wait patiently. It will be hidden. Something deep within a dark pulse or perhaps a shadow ball. He attempts to rain dance many times. Its easy for me to frustrate him. Every single ghostly attack meets my shadow claws. Every psychic attack is repelled by a precise crunch.

Come on. Do it. I want you to do it!

Finally. Zaela's one possible weakness on Cynthia's team. I give up being subtle and fly high. If I'm to fall to the destiny bond that I've made sure I get hit by it will be on my terms. I had to be strong enough that Cynthia would be forced to use her ghost to trump my ability. There is a way out of the bond, sure but that was not to be.

In order for the Plan to work I must fall right now. But I also cannot look weak. Ambient heat wraps around me. Draconic energy feels like home. Mother is covered in it. Momma and Zaela exude it. As my fire wraps around me I can't help but think that I am learning something so very new. Spiritomb is confused. I can tell.

There is something to be said for being dramatic. Flames broil around me and wings stretch five times my normal wingspan. My head is encased in a beak that draws a flaming trail behind me. I am Moltres. Flame embodied. For just a moment.

Down I dive, burning the very air. Do you see your son mother? Do you see how much he loves you? This is for you. I do not hear what explosion my Phoenix Blitz causes. Only afterward do I find out that there was a pause to repair the arena. In the moment before destiny takes me all I can think of is that I am a dragon of fire in truth.

* * *

Adept

Waiting to continue is hard. We're both down a mon and despite it being expected its hard to see Mars go down. Especially when he pulses his love of me as he flies to his defeat. If we wanted we could probably cheese our way to victory. This isn't supposed to be that though. Mars' sacrifice is meant for more. When its time, I pull out my next choice with a bit of fear. I really shouldn't be afraid. Its just...Well. I throw.

* * *

Sunshine

Query said he wasted four pieces of journal-kun before we agreed that he'd just relive my memories instead of me trying to _say_ them! So. Uhm. Here we go! Enjoy! I'm supposed to say that right? Quer-

I pop out! Ready for action! Must do the pose! Wattson said every magical girl does a pose. And I am certainly magic! Yay!

Right. Roselady across from me.

"_Hello! I'm Sunshine Mita! Its nice to meet you. Sorry we have to fight and not immediately be friends! Maybe after?"_

"_Uh...You do know that this is the finals right? I mean. Look at all those people. And our trainers?"_

"_So? You're the one who I'm supposed to concentrate on! Even if we're going to be all mean to each other it doesn't mean I should be impolite! Mom always taught me to be a good girl!"_ I pose again, giving my Wattson Nice Guy grin.

"_Okay..I mean. Uh. Cynthia? She just looks-ah hell. Sure. Shake?"_ Yay! We shake flower to ribbon and spring back, ready to fight!

Mom tells me that I'm weak to poison. That's silly! Nice rose girl will help me prove it. Icky gunk is tossed at me. Powder too! It stings but hey! Refresh!

Toxic! Refresh! Poison sting! Refresh! Ooh. That venoshock hurt! Wish! Why does roselady look so annoyed? She got to attack! Its not my fault that the armor I've made out of my barriers stopped her leaves. There were a lot! I had to make the armor that looks like Suicune! Legendary Sunny Water Amazebot!

Wattson has such odd names but he looked like he knew what he was talking about.

"_See mom?! I'M FINE!" _Why is she covering her face? She only does that for Wattson! Oh! Right! Fight! I guess I should battle back.

I wiggle my tail and get ready for super mega barrier compression attack! Wattson said all magical girls need a signature move. Its a mouthful so I practiced lots!

"_Super Mega Barrier Compression Attack!" _Ooh. That looks uncomfortable. I hope over and bounce up the barriers and light screens that I've trapped roselady in. I might have made them a little too close. Ahh! That was close!

"_Hey! No fair!"_

"_YES FAIR! LET ME OUT! MY OWN THORNS ARE – what is that glow?"_

"_Mega Sunny Brain Beam!" _Psyshock! Times four! And tackle! Pose! Now I wave to the crowd then blink. Oh no! My new friend!

"_Wish wish wish wish! All better. Here. Sorry I hit you so hard. Mom said not to hold back."_

Roselady gives me a very, very weird look.

"_I..Right. Well. I'm going to go lay down and rest. Yes. Excuse me. Yes. Excuse me. Excuse me."_ Weird! Okay! Fight number two! More wiggles! Oops! Have to do the happy dance. Twirl and twirl. Cheer to the crowd and give a big smile. Yay! They like it.

Okay I'm a bit shy now. Time to hide behind my ribbons.

"_Ahem. If we could? My Mistress is both amused and frustrated by you. If we could perhaps fight now?"_

"_TRU?! When did you get here?! And your voice is so much deeper! Hey! No fair! We both can't be out here! Ah! Mom could lose! I'll go back!"_

I return myself. Because I'm a good girl.

Query says I can talk again. Look. I'm used to fighting until I drop. Silly rules confused me okay? I said sorry to Tru for _hours_ for thinking the boy Tru was our Tru. Get it? Sheesh. Can I go now Query? Good. Uhm. Good writing there...And...Stuff. Right. Bye!

* * *

Adept

Well that was a thing. I'm laughing, really hard. Cynthia is as well once her lucario, who is very confused, told her what happened. I'm fairly certain Sunny broke the roserade. Yep.

I know who to send out. This is very appropriate. Cynthia's aura is delighted but also a bit sad. I think she knows that I'm hiding something amazing. After all, I've yet to show a family member that I've used before.

At least this one she knows of.

* * *

Truthseeker

Mistress is kind. It has been far too long since I have been able to spar with one of my kind. He ruins it by kneeling to me.

"_Princess! I did not know that _she_ was your trainer! Please accept my apologies that we shall have to figh-"_

"_GET up! What is it with everyone looking at my former title and not me?" _Really, this is why I love Wattson so much. He knows who I was. Am. And accepts all of it. Nor does he really care about my history save that I made me who I am. Even here in the midst of battle he distracts me!

"_Forgive me! Of course! Right. Then. After we bow?"_

I simply roll my eyes and bow. He returns it and we both dip into speed. There is one thing I like about his respect, justified or not. We start off with simple katas. Clangs and snaps of martial arts as opposed to moves have me remembering my first home.

Before I was born anew. My joy must sing through my aura as he laughs and steps things up. This nameless knight specializes in close combat and I must back up a bit, giving ground as I start to focus on countering. Enough time has passed that I feel his aura well.

I've never told my Mistress how insane our sensing abilities are compared to what I was used to. That we can so easily find a person miles away. What that translates to now? Reader has become the basis of my new style of countering. Mistress told me of a martial artist from her home that viewed his fists as a preemptive counter. That any strike could be met with a blow someplace closer to throw off an attack. If someone kicked you, you hit their knee to force the attack wide. A punch would have you slamming your fist into their wrist and diverting.

This is something I have worked on heavily with Query as his style is somewhat similar. My nameless countryman's eyes widen as I step into the Reading Flow. Every movement is turned into water. Each flick of his senses to attack me leads to an elbow, knee,fist or even my tail interposing at a point on his body that I can foul his rhythm.

I hear Cynthia telling him to fight from distance but I just step into his attempt to escape and slap his knees with a bone rush that lasts only a split second. I have him now, rattling his head with quick, precise strikes.

Sadly my style is not yet perfect as he outspeeds me for a moment. Close combat from us both follows and our two minute long fight has us both exhausted. The constant use of Reader has me mentally ready to sleep where I stand but he's far worse off. We stare at each other and ignoring both our trainers trying to return us slam together in one last brawl.

Wattson's booming voice makes me smile. Good. We made a promise to always be at each other's fights. My countryman falls first and I kneel down, both in respect and to catch my breath. Healing him is easy compared to the way we chose to fight each other and I just give him a smile as we're both retired. Sometimes showing honor by fighting at a disadvantage proves a point.

Its nice. The crowd going wild for us. He deserves it as much as I do. I might have won but he didn't try very hard to get away from me. Cynthia stopped attempting to call him back as well and before I vanish into my ball I can feel her amazement. She can see a bit more of what we're trying to do.

Thank you Mistress. I know it. Tomorrow our dream becomes a reality.

* * *

Adept

Holy crap. Its so close. Togekiss comes out, refreshed and such but its happening. She has togekiss, glaceon or milotic and her garchomp. Maybe a braviery and an elektross. Both would not make as much sense though. I've got Query if I want, Aurora, Zaela and Tru. Tru is almost out of it though. Sunny returning herself to me was her giving up and the ref agreed even if the crowd hated the decision.

Sunny will do that to you. Charm you.

Its almost here. The end. Aurora. Time to show the world that you're alive.

Cynthia's eyes widen and the crowd gasps for the hundredth time at my family.

* * *

Aurora

I'm so proud. Everyone has worked so hard to get here and its come to something amazing. I've been blessed at a second chance at life much like our beloved trainer. That I can croon out loud and see joy on the faces of people who love pokémon is a gift that I'm unworthy of.

No one deserves such joy so its the duty to pass on as much of it as possible. Togekiss doesn't know what I am as I'm not flowing my ice yet. If she got closer she'd feel it. Cynthia is just staring and I giggle a bit as the announcer struggles to say what I am. He mispronounces my species name and I snicker again before I set things off.

If togekiss knew what I was she should have immediately tired to wrestle me for the weather. Hail and rain appear at once and I soak the whole area. To me it just feels pleasant. Enjoyment in battle isn't as important to me as other things in my life but its good to get my old bones working.

Ella says I'm not old for my species. But I am! Thousands of years old! She won't be able to take old people jokes away from me. Especially since it forces her to roll her eyes everytime.

I feel a lot of pity for togekiss now. She's struggling a bit more as I whip up the storm. Poor child. Right. Two ice beams tag her as she tries to take control of a bit of my wind with a tailwind. The ancient power rocks I pull up to meet her bring her down completely. She might have been healed up a bit from her fight with Mars but its not quite enough.

Cynthia returns her and I hum, singing in pleasure and sharing it with the whole stadium. Oh hoh. Its nice to see how dumbfounded they are. My whole family has been surprise after surprise to them.

Milotic appears and I am glad I didn't use electric attacks. I am sorry Cynthia. Ella and Mars planned your team out in detail. You can't send out your garchomp against my obvious skill in ice. Still, I think you'll come out of this just fine.

Thunder crackles. I just learned it and am not that accurate! I could go with a thunderbolt but this deserves my best. Hail pulls close to my body as I obscure myself and snipe him from afar. Brightscales might be new but I know how to fight her. I can't imagine this will be any different. Thunder waves and thunderbolts slowly overpower the frantic self healing and he tries desperately to get in close to attempt to confuse me or put me to sleep.

He thinks he has nothing to fear from the water and while the hail will hurt a bit water is generally quite good at resisting it.

Ella says freeze-dry is her favorite move out of any our family knows. I will happily agree. Millotic screams and I'm saddened he has to suffer so but if Cynthia's team is anything like mine I must put him down.

Now to make it gorgeous! My storm fades but not before I push it outwards. It fades from hail so it safely goes through the barriers and light snow covers the crowd for a minute or so until I let my unconscious opponent be seen.

Cynthia lets out a slow sigh and just grins self consciously as she releases her garchomp. Her starter is big. Almost Momma's height and I can tell she's strong. Daily fights against Zaela make me a bit of an expert on fighting her species after all.

"_Greetings! It will be a pleasure to get to know you some other time. I think our trainers will be great friends. Do treat my best friend nicely."_

Who says you can't troll friendly like? Garchomp's confused look warms me up. Maybe to at least negative 55 degrees. I'm practically sweating!

Hah! Dad jokes are fun. The look continues as I'm returned. That's right. Zaela is about to rock the world. Go get 'em sister.

* * *

Adept

Right. Right. Okay. Throw. No thoughts. Just throw.

* * *

Zaela

Practically two lifetimes and my sister can't get her shit together for this? Hah. Going to tease her for ages. Aaaaaaages. Right. I emerge with a roar. I've grown just a bit. Halfway over thirteen feet. This is about as big as I'm going to get.

The audience has hushed before but its _silent_ when I appear. There we go. That's what I wanted. I might be rumored. Ella didn't exactly hide me at times but I've not fought anyone but gym leaders outside of the den. At least humans. Even if people saw me playing giant monster a few times Ella has been sufficiently impressive without people knowing of my existence.

Plus who thinks an eleven year old kid can have a King?

They know now. Cynthia and her starter stare. Yes. Feed me with your awe. Mmm. Tastes like donuts.

Presence is something Momma has shown me in earnest. Its difficult to truly control but I let it out now. That awe and fear that creatures of my power can use to cripple or uplift.

As much as it would be fun to flood the place with panicked humans and work on inspiration for my screenplay I let them see what Ella always says I have in droves. Nobility. Purpose.

They don't know what it is but I can feel it. They want to follow me. Just a bit. Might as well prove why.

It takes the announcer a bit of time to get up the nerve to talk so I throw him a bone and step forward slowly.

"_Hello there cousin. We're probably related some way right? Whatever. Fight me. Don't let it get to you. You're a bad ass. I can tell. All dragons are. Who cares if you lose? Win? Nothing matters but me and you right now. Got it?"_

Garchomp just shakes herself and there it is. The part of her that is the part of me. Dragons. Gotta love them.

Cheering starts before we even start at each other. We both know she's going down but what can she learn from this? That's exciting. Holy..Fuck. Is this what Momma feels when she teaches me?

Oh. Oh. I know what I'm going to do now. I always just got strong to _be_ strong. Dragons are simple. But Momma isn't. Ella's mom isn't. Ella isn't.

I'm going to teach. I've got a kingdom now. Why not make it the strongest in the world? Everyone Ella is gathering are dragons in their own right. Yes. This...How could I have not seen this?

I'm going to be the teacher from hell.

But also the one who forges the strongest of students.

Pass on what you have learned. Ella said that in a weird fucking voice once but...Yes.

I will.

We come together. She's strong. Claws and power. Much of what she is is about precise movements. She learned that first while I dealt with my domain. I let her feel that a bit, tripping her and bringing her into savage headbutts and dragon rushes.

This isn't a fight any longer as we crash and battle. Nothing she has can touch me in earnest until she sparkles. Oh. I know this. Ella and I were not planning to use it but maybe my cousin of sorts can give me a good fight now.

Mega-Garchomp explodes into speed and I laugh in excitement. If that is what I look like in mega I am pleased. So many spiiiiikes.

What was a battle of the earth rises into the sky. Freedom. She's very, very fast now and I just laugh louder as I'm tossed about some. She's able to move my bulk well.

Time to push her.

Fire is mine now. Its always been. But now its _mine. _A fire blast forms in my mouth bigger than her and she breaks, hastily attempting to move away from her attack run. She smacks into a few of the stealth rocks I set up as I was walking toward her at the start for the pep talk.

Hey. I was planning to teach her but who says I couldn't be careful?

The explosion isn't as impressive as Mars' earlier but its amazing enough for me to want to pat my back. What it really does is let me fly through it and gather the fire about me, slamming into her in a sorta Dragon Blitz. Crunch.

Yep. My favorite move. Why? You get to tear something to shreds with your teeth. That's dragon 101.

We fly about, her trying to get free and me subtly showing her how to harry foes who are too focused on one direction. Stone edges and draco meteors pelt her from behind like I tagged da-the elder charizard with.

Pain is her teacher and I start to pile it on in droves. Aqua tail is new so I help her learn it by swatting her about. Her last ditch effort is good. Constant close quarters has messed us both up some. Rough skin is mean.

Somehow, and I'm going to steal this, she creates draco meteors from her mouth. Maybe she ate some boulders ahead of time? That added into a hyper beam straight to my chest had me groaning. Hitting the earth without time to soften it made me a bit annoyed as well.

I'm hurt but this isn't serious yet. Might as well give her a send off with a bit of seriousness.

Want to know a secret? Hidden power has a way of being forced to a certain type. All you have to do is experience the type for ages. To be attacked by it. Breathe it. Live in it and be dominated by it until it sinks into your very soul.

Rain pours as I roar to the heavens. I don't dance. I demand. Water pours and I take to the sky to find my foe. She comes to meet me and I grin savagely.

Aurora. Thank you for showing me this trick.

My hidden power is ice. And it pulls the water from the air as I bellow it at Garchomp. She does not expect it. Familiar pain overtakes her. I know her plight but if she wants to reach for my power she'll have to do better. Be better.

I do not hesitate. I do not show mercy. She doesn't need it nor would want it. That's right cousin. I know you. I see you. I acknowledge you. Even as your evolution winks out. Even as you hit the ground and slam into the arena wall to lay in a heap.

I stand above you, victorious, but I know you will rise stronger for this. Just as I have. As I did. Now its my turn to raise you up. All of you.

_I_

_Am_

_King_

And I will take this world under my wing. For Ella. For my family. For me.

* * *

Adept

Sound isn't the word for the noise being made. Its an emotion. I can almost feel it through aura. Zaela never once let up on her presence. She turned a violent match into the uplifting of Cynthia's starter. She demonstrated that while she's utterly powerful she is also worthy of being followed.

I told her when we went over the Plan that she should just be herself. I didn't expect her to grow so much in a single battle. But then again, most pokémon do. All it takes is a spark to evolve in such amazing ways.

The wave of emotion the people gathered here goes on for ages. Minutes. Hours. It doesn't matter as I walk across the once again wrecked field to see Cynthia coming to meet me. I just grin and offer her my hand.

"I have a feeling I was set up. Are you sure you are the age you say you are?" It takes a _lot_ not to gape at her but she's just joking and I bring her in for a hug. Its impulsive but I'm radiating joy. Tomorrow I take a hold of my destiny. Today? Today I have won a pokémon league.

"I am who I am. Thank you for the battle. We learned so much. In a few years I think I'm going to hate facing you again." Her eyes gleam at the truth in my words and she chuckles as the announcer blares out my victory. I don't care.

"I know some of you must be stinging, but would you like to join my family and I tonight? I'd love to talk to you about your garchomp. And milotic. And lucario." She just giggles a bit and hooks her arm in mine, amused.

"Sure. But don't you have a trophy to accept?" Cynthia looks about, wondering where we are to go.

"The closing ceremony is tomorrow. Tonight is about celebrating the event. Don't worry." Plus mom is heading off Charles Goodshow. I made it very clear that I didn't want to talk to _anyone_ until I'm finally presented as champion.

"Then by all means! Off to the Pokémon Center then to the party." She's taking it well. Outwardly. While not bitter she is hiding some sadness that she was outmatched. But there is also that spark. My training will slow down in intensity as the order takes off. At least for a few years. Rina appears almost instantly as we make our way into the stadium to find our family members waiting.

Cynthia grins at me and takes directions to my suite, promising to come around in a few hours. Her family looks like old money but with a regal nature that has me wondering a bit more about Cynthia's past in this world.

Rina is vibrating, joy for me overflowing but she doesn't know what it means or how to express it. I just sigh and pat her shoulder. I give her something to do in getting my team looked at and I'm before my parents.

"So you've done it. I...am not the best at this. Good job Ella." I...I mean he tried. Is trying. The hug he gives me isn't awkward though. That means so much more. Dad releases me and Hannah Mita is crying before me.

"I'm...so..so proud. And scared. And I love you so much. This is your dream. I'll always stand with you to achieve it. Oh Ella. Promise me that this is only the start. That you'll never back down. That you'll soar beyond anything anyone has seen." My arms go around her and I can't help but notice I'm getting closer and closer to her height.

Tears flow from us both as dad wraps us up in his arms. In this moment everything is perfect between us all again.

"I'm a Mita. Of course I'm never going to stop." That's the best I can promise but mom takes it. Dad squeezes tight.

Its way later when we get back to the suite. My family is already there and Aurora has Wattson and Blue, oddly enough, helping her prepare the feast. Daisy is dancing with Sunny and Tru in the middle of the room.

Zaela has a giant hat on that says 'Winner' and is beyond silly. Since we entered the semi-finals we got an upgraded room that lets my whole team fit. Mars is curled up, asleep or so he seems. In reality he's just basking in the energy.

Tasslehoff is floating about, offering people drinks and snickering at Angel and Joker who are waltzing. Aurora got Joker into a tux of sorts and Angel is sending lots of images of herself giggling and blushing. Its not serious interest but she admits she finds him handsome as can be.

Rina and Query talk a bit tensely in a corner but the second they see me they put on innocent demanors.

Leaf is mixing up drinks that I should probably stay away from and its very worrying when Tasslehoff joins her, cackling lowly. That she has an even more intimidating laugh sends warning bells up around everyone paying attention. Which is only myself and Professor Oak and Redwood.

Professor Redwood finally comes over. He's been rather silent, only talking to Samuel and Blue in the few times I've seen him.

"Crazy thing you've done kid. I'm looking forward to what you have planned. Elm will be ready in about a year then I'll whip your Foundry into shape. Already went once. Was delivering an egg to that Bruno fellow. Said he wanted a fairy type to test himself. Idiot."

Redwood takes a flash and draws deeply. It doesn't smell of alcohol and he chuckles at my curious look.

"Prune juice. I'm fucking old. But it makes me look bad ass." Its always confusing talking to him. But he's good company (I end up telling him that Zaela is writing a screenplay and his expression has me a bit haunted with its eagerness) until Rina shyly asks me to show her how to dance. I am very, very tempted to make Wattson show her but he's strangely, and worryingly, absent. Eventually he comes back with balloons, streamers and party favors.

As Tru was here, I have no idea how he got them and I don't ask.

I dance with everyone it seems and for once there is no stress. Just fun and joy that we've accomplished what we've dreamed of,. Cynthia shows up and with Tru and her lucario's help I get another convert at least to look out for people for my order. And an amazing friend.

We spend hours talking of our pokémon until its far too late. She and I have so much in common that I can't see a life without her becoming my friend. I pass out somewhere and wake up curled around my family. Rina is someplace near as well but she's slowly drawn back from her panic. Or is just respecting that I needed this with my destined ones.

Relaxing in place, I wait, anticipation curling in my gut. I'm nervous! This is it! So much to reveal to the world!

Hours later we're back at the stadium. My outfit is different finally. Leather still but black with silver edges. A twelve pointed start is over my heart on my jacket, right over the one tattooed there. Its not the same though. Its more stylized and looks similar in manner of a compass rose design. My eyepatch is Tru's colors.

Thick combat boots are on my feet and leggings that fit me like a glove match my jacket. My shirt is a deep grey and my team's premier balls neatly flow around my belt. Everything about me screams professional. Metal bands are around my arms, also silver and they gleam from the heavy polishing Sunny and I gave them. They match the small pauldrons on my shoulders and my honey blonde hair is up in its tight bun.

I've been growing it. It reaches the small of my back when let down. My parents and the Oaks sit close to the front as Cynthia's semi-final opponent is called up to take third place. Proton is nowhere to be seen.

The air is heavy, just to me and the claps of the crowd seem to echo my heartbeat. Angel pulses that she is ready. Tru stands next to me and calms me with a paw on my shoulder. Cynthia is called to the stadium. Her aura is perfectly fine in front of thousands of people and maybe millions watching at home.

I adjust the strap against my chest that keeps my pack with me. I could have left it behind but its been with me from the start.

"And finally! Please welcome your Silver Conference Champion! ELLA MITA OF BLACKTHORN!"

More thundering applause and cheering. I hesitate but then….

My steps firm. I'm no coward. Its time to take hold of everything! Charles Goodshow is in front of me. He's a bit annoyed he got denied meeting me earlier but he's _very_ pleased at the outcome. This conference will be talked about for ages.

He doesn't know the half of it.

"Ella Mita has won the first conference she's participated in! Shrouded in mystery its time to know just a bit more of the daughter of the Blackthorn City Gym Leader Hannah Mita. Welcome her again!"

Its fairly traditional to say something. Just a bit. Usually thanking the league or something. It doesn't always work out but this is the moment I've decided is my turning point. Where the Plan begins. My lone eye gazes out, meeting faces. I'm ready.

"Thank you President Goodshow. Thank you to the Pokémon League and as always, my beloved family. Human or not." Deep breath. And a steady pulse of aura to let the people in charge of the broadcast not to blink.

"I came here today for one purpose. It wasn't to win. That was just a step to my goal. I came here to speak to all of you. Since I was little I've had a dream. Its driven myself and many I hold dear to great lengths. To supreme effort. And glorious duty." Alright. Here it is. No turning back.

My hand raises. Aura sparks to life and my single eye burns purple. The star on my chest, polished so fine, reflects the light in a glittering display that makes it almost look real, blazing.

"I _am _an Aura Guardian. Sworn to protect all who might need it. My whole life has led to here. To stand before you and promise my aid. And those who stand with me." Now the faces I gazed at to rise. The Foundry. All of it. Even Bruno. They all stand. We are only perhaps a few hundred now but each pull off cloaks, showing similar outfits. Each have their own frills or change them a bit but they are all made to brighten the silver accents. To shine out its presence to the world. It takes a lot of aura from Tru and I to keep the League employees and agents from attempting to shut me up. Its not convincing enough just yet.

"It sounds crazy. Certainly. I would be skeptical. Think though. Of my team. Of all that I have shown you. Of how far we have pushed to reach this point. To inspire others forward. How many of you saw what happened here and want to go that much farther towards your goal? If that won't convince you then perhaps this will." Angel hears my plea and with effort she pulls my guests to stand beside me. They take up a lot of space.

Suicune, majesty of the winds bows her head in respect towards the crowd, her streamers flowing behind her as a veil.

Raikou, crackling thunder of the storm tilts his head upwards and lets out a roar of greeting, his mane sparkling constantly.

Entei, roaring flame of the burning sun bursts out his fur with golden flames reaching to halo his face. His voice joining his siblings to sing a song of welcome.

"Here, standing with legends, I ask all those who find my dream shared to find me. To seek out duty and responsibility. To put yourself before others and protect aura. Life. My name is Ella Mita. Here, in Silver Town. At the Silver Conference. I form the Silver Guardians. Successors of the Aura Guardians of old we welcome any, whatever ability or will that you might have so long as you stand as we do. Psychic. Dark. Magical. Normal. Human or pokémon." I pause, Tru coming up behind me and Angel floating down to hover next to me.

We no longer have to hold people to listen. This is our moment. Three legendaries validate it as Suicune promised. To help and aid. Perhaps it wasn't the dire issue she talked of but obviously they agreed since they stand here, silencing everyone but myself.

"Find us. Join us. This world belongs to all. Help us make it better. The first steps are up to you."

Suicune roars, the winds whipping high and snapping as Raikou adds to it, smashing down thunder to blind the world. Entei flares upwards, dispersing the clouds so that the brief water forms a rainbow over the empty stage of me and my kind. Angel pulled us out at Raikou's flash. Mystery for now.

In the coming days emails to contact us will roll out. Every person interested will be judged by lucario from the Kingdom. Who have joined the Silver Guardians almost to a mon. Most responses will be nonsense but the gems stand out easily. The Silver Guardians will grow rapidly. I know it. I went back and forth on the name for ages but ultimately kept it simple. Johto is my home. For now this is where we start.

I couldn't resist though. In private I refer to my Guardians as Soulsilver Guardians.

The three beasts stay for just a bit, soaking up the awe of the crowd (and providing distraction so my Guardians can slink off to be ported back to the Foundry) then take off in different directions, vanishing back to their duties, whatever they might be.

As for my family and I? Its time to go home and start recruiting in earnest. Many holdouts that were recommended by my current allies start giving us a chance. Blue included. Who he works for though? I'm sure the League is screaming for me to come and explain myself. Or to ask when I'm going to face the Elite Four. Which I won't be doing. I came to deliver a message. Those who take it seriously I want. Those who don't? They'll learn in time.

This is my first step. When Zaela can defeat my legend I'll know that its time for the second.

My name is Ella Mita. Today, I have become bold. Today I have accepted my destiny. Today I have become an Aura Guardian.

* * *

Shadow

Nonsense. What started as a promising plan to get an agent into the Johto Ace fast track program has led to this farce.

Proton returned and told of the girl being full of delusions of grandeur. That she had strong pokémon certainly but it was all staged. The legendaries? Porygon creations through editing the feed. The crowd? Mostly hypnotized or paid off.

Hannah Mita was known to be utterly ruthless about her daughter. The wealth of the family could certainly arrange the affair.

It was impressive work. Almost...Too convincing. All this for a whim of a child? If Proton wasn't fanatically loyal he would be a bit more cautious.

Stroking persian's head he decides. There is no harm in making certain. An agent will be placed into this new order. Whatever it is. He had not clawed his way to this position by taking chances.

Humanity eats itself. There is no way that such naive notions as duty and responsibility can overcome the true gift of power.

Power, whatever its form, rules. Period. Greed, deceit and ruthlessness are the true aspects of his life.

No, this farce will fail. It might galvanize some to stand up but heroes die easily. Visibly. He was certain even that this could be turned to a profitable advantage.

What a waste of an opportunity. Another year before this method is available. Other options do not add as much credibility. Still.

Giovanni was patient.

* * *

**Well! There you have it. Ella is finally an Aura Guardian. Zaela has accepted her new purpose. Sunny continues to confuse people! Query is a fucking bad ass. I'm...Very excited for the next chapter. So many things to set up. And maybe a break from battling. Its fun to imagine but ow my brain.**

**Plus I want real threats to appear. Stomping everything is its own sort of fun but life or death is where I want things to go from here. Not all the time but enough to matter.**

**The reason I chose to use the beasts as legendary validation here is they are so very central to Johto legends and that Ella's legendary is just a bit beyond her. I just couldn't see her convincing the amount of people I wanted her to affect without a bit of a push. Not everyone will believe her. That's what the five years will be for.**

**To build and grow. To prove more and more what they can do. It'll likely take me a bit to get it out. Okay! Guest reviews.**

**Guest 1 (?)- Glad you like the feels! Got a lot of that in these chapters! **

**MEMEandME- When you get here, thanks a ton for reading. Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it!**

**Guest 2 (Maybe?)- Angel is the best! She's gonna get some awesome things to do after the time skip.**

**Onto the team!**

* * *

**_**\- Zaela the King Garchomp (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Adamant**__

**_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, Double Team, Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, Rain Dance, Mud-Slap, Dual Chop, Slash, Dragon Claw, **_**__**Draco Meteor, Dragon Rush, Earthquake, **__**_**Stone Edge, **_**__**Crunch, **__**_**Fire Blast, Aerial Ace, Hyper Be**_**__**am, **____**Brutal Swing, Poison Jab, Iron Tail, Hone Claws, Aqua Tail, Whirlpool, Fury Cutter, Hidden Power**__

**_**Combination Moves: Furnace (Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit)**_**

**_**Pain Whirl (Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and Rock Slide with a helping of Mud-Slap. Confuse them in a tornado made of giant pain rocks)**_**

**_**Grinder- Earthquake and Earth Power to simultaneously disrupt movement and provide a sharp incline to speed up Dragon Rush and manually activate Stealth Rocks. Rock Slide to subtly hammer Stealth Rocks towards vital points. Very tiring.**_**

**_**Ella's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_**

**_**2- Query the Shiny Metagross**_**__** (Identifies Male)**__

__**Ability: Clear Body**__

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

**_**Moves: Iron Head, Iron Defense, Take Down, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Psych Up, Gravity, Ally Switch, Miracle Eye , Scary Face, Brick Break, Meteor Mash, Agility, Magnet Rise, Return, Reflect, Double Team, Light Screen, **_**__**Rock Smash, Hammer Arm. Pursuit, **__**_**Hammer Arm, **_**__**Toxic, Shadow Ball, Hyper **__**_**Beam, Focus Blast, **_****_**Flash, **_****_**Laser Focus, Telekinesis, Grass Knot, Giga Impact, **_****_**Earthquake, **_****_**Thunderpunch, **_****_**Rock Tomb, Ice Punch, Signal Beam, Stealth Rock, Dynamic Punch, Body Slam, Rollout, Strength, Endure, Block, Rest, Aerial Ace, **_****_**Rock Polish, **_****_**Protect, **_****_**Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Sandstorm**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Psi-Fist - A method of psychic manipulation of an opponents gravity and self to make critical hits happen. A variety of punches/strikes with heavy but small piercing-like psychic stabs to balance points. **_****_**Grass Knot and Flash-distracted Laser Focus attacks added.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Two- Constant mind/emotion reading to adapt to attack patterns and psychological weaknesses. Low level confusion waves to occlude and disrupt senses and to influence terror or caution depending on level of threat as well as psychological profile. Can currently use two dedicated brains for state two. Three deemed too detrimental to combat ability.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Three- Every attack causes psychic waves within a victim's body. Focused mind reading directs the waves to short out essential organs and the nervous system. Not for sparring. Almost always fatal. **_**

**_**Meteor- Magnet Rise, Gravity and Psychic to aid in a mid-air constant rollout to build up maximum damage. Target is then aimed with an aerial ace at speeds matching or exceeding most electric types. Once target is hit detonated earthquake to follow and appropriate physical attack added. Ice punch. Zen Headbutt. Etc. Iron Defense and constant reflects for help against recoil.**_**

**_**3- Truthseeker(Tru) the Lucario (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Inner Focus, **_**__**Justified (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Serious**__

**_**Moves: Foresight, Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Detect, Cross Chop, Bite, Mind Reader, High Jump Kick, Agility, Vacuum Wave, Crunch, Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash, Copycat, Rock Smash, Force Palm, **_**__**Aura Sphere, Heal Pulse, **____**Protect, **____**Power-Up Punch, Me First, Calm Mind, **____**Extremespeed, Toxic, Focus Blast, Shadow Bal**__**_**l, **_**__**Thunderpunc**__**_**h**_****_**, Close Combat, **_****_**Bone Rush**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Heal Sphere- Aura Sphere made with heal pulse energy. Very aura intensive but serves as a long range critical heal.**_**

__**EMT- Bullet Punch, **____**Extremespeed or**____**M**____**e First(Depends on move) to target who is attacking ally. Counter if needed while second hand is using Heal Pulse. High Jump Kick away if Quick Attack is not fast enough. Looking into Substitute, Extremespeed and Quick Guard for increased effectiveness.**__

__**Reader: Calm Mind, Mind Reader, Detect to stay in someone's guard. Protect to be **____**used**____** later when unable to dodge.**__

__**Regen: Developed by Joy's lucario. Bounces small Heal Pulses onto a Protect screen to cause small amounts of healing over time. Somewhat draining even when perfected. Calm Mind increases efficiency.**__

**_**4- Sunshine(Sunny) the Sylveon (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Cute Charm, **__**_**Pixilate (Hidden)**_**

__**Nature: Quirky**__

__**Moves: Fake Tears, Tickle, Wish, Yawn, Stored Power, **____**Charm,**____** Tackle, Helping Hand, Baby-Doll Eyes, Fairy Wind, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Swift, Moonblast, Refresh, Draining Kiss, Light Screen, Misty Terrain, Skill Swap, Reflect, Safeguard, Round, **____**Shadow Ball, To**__**_**xic, **_****_**Dig, **_****_**Snore, **_****_**Hyper Voice, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Double Team, **_****_**Psyshock**_**

__**Special Moves: Talk no jutsu. Seriously. Okay not seriously. Just couldn't resist the joke.**__

**_**5- Mars the Shiny Charizard**_**__** (Male)**__

**_**Ability: Blaze**_**

**_**Nature: Lonely**_**

__**Moves: **__**_**Ancient Power, Flare Blitz, Scratch, Ember, Dragon Dance, Air Cutter, Crunch, Bite, Beat Up, Dragon Rush, Dragon Pulse, Slash, Fire Fang, Dragon Rage, Flame Burst, Flamethrower, Metal Claw, Smokescreen, Wing Attack, **_****_**Fire Blast, Thunderpunch, Hyper Beam, Toxic, Focus Blas**_**__**t, **____**Dragon Tail, Dragon Breath, **____**Shadow Claw. Will o' Wisp, Ominous Wind, Fire Spin, **____**Dig, Earthquake**____**, Sunny Day. Draco Meteor (Currently only in Mega)**__

**_**Combination Moves(Self Taught): Dragon Blitz-High speed directed attack. A fully boosted by Dragon Dance Flare Blitz combined with a Dragon Rush that can be changed mid attack by using an enforced claw with Slash and Metal Claw to dig into nearby surfaces to a new direction. **_**__**Wing Attack and Air Cutter to achieve similar effects in air. Steel Wing desired. Double Team to be added for confusion once completely mastered. Possible Beat Up Clones when team exceeds six members.**__

**_**Smoke Boost- Dragon Dance while setting up favorable terrain with Ancient Power and hoping for more buffs while covered in a Smokescreen. Double Team and Beat Up to be added later.**_**

__**Firewall- Flame Bursts tossed up high and fed with a directional Air Cutter. Flamethrower added immediately after Flame Burst. Able to use without Blaze but cannot sustain it while moving without ability activation. Ancient Power to be added in slowly. Rock Slide an alternative if learnt.**__

**_**6- Aurora the **_****_**Aurorus**_**__**(Female)**__

**_**Abilities: Refrigerate, Snow Warning (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Modest**_**

**_**Moves: Powder Snow, Thunder Wave, Haze, Barrier, Mirror Coat, Sandstorm, Hail, Magnet Rise, Discharge, Rock Throw, Mist, Icy Wind, Ice Beam, Round, Ancient Power, Aurora Beam, Avalanche, **_****_**Thunderbolt, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Safe**_****_**guard, Freeze Dry, Light Screen. Encore, Nature Power, Blizzard, **_****_**Rain dance, **_****_**Thunder**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Storm Defense: Ability activation, Sandstorm and Barrier. Omni-Directional Discharge if any non-ground types enter the field.**_**

__**7- **____**Wattson(Thunderbug) the Ele**____**c**____**tivire**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Motor Drive, **____**Vital Spirit (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Jolly**__

__**Moves: **____**Thunder Shock, Cross Chop, Thunderbolt, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Focus Punch, Low Kick, Rolling Kick, Meditate, Dynamic Punch, Light Screen, Barrier, Thunderpunch, Discharge, Thunder, Shock Wave**____**, Focus Blast, Toxic, **____**Thunder Wave, **____**Dig, **____**Earthquake, **____**Electric Terrain, **____**Round, **____**Electro Ball, Swift, Taunt, Rain Dance, Protect, Double Team, Rock Tomb, Psychic, Charge Beam, Swagger, Rock Slide, Bulldoze, Thunder, Signal Beam, Helping Hand, Power-Up Punch, Flamethrower, Mud-slap, **____**Magnet Rize**__

__**Combo Moves: The Punch-A fully motor drive/meditate buffed thunder punch combined with focus punch and electric terrain caused by launching someone with an earthquake. Ice or Fire Punch substituted for vulnerabilities.**__

__**The DANCE- Rain dance, swagger, meditate and magnet rise all at once to impress and infuriate at once! Flash to be used later when learned. Possibly signal beam as well.**__

__**Prismatic Spray- A bunch of moves at once. Very draining. Psychic, signal beam, thunderbolt, flamethrower and focus blast at once. Very flashy, doesn't hit overly hard yet. Just super disruptive.**__

__**Rasengan- Sigh. Double team to add rotation. No. Its just for fucking flair. And apparently able to low power helping hand. Its literally just an electro ball with a blue color that the idiot shoves into someone bodily. Instead of actually throwing it. Working on combining it with focus blast and psychic to make a shuriken. Yeah. **__

__**8- Joker**____** the Zoroark**____**(Male)**__

**_**Ability: Illusion**_**

**_**Nature: Serious (as fuck)**_**

**_Moves: _****_Fake Tears, Fury Swipes, Night Slash, Night Daze, Detect, U-Turn, Imprison, Pursuit, Hone Claws, Flamethrower, Scary Face, Feint Attack, Taunt, Foul Play, Torment, Double Team, Embargo, Punishment, Dark Pulse, Copycat, Sucker Punch, Shadow Ball, Bounce, Grass Knot, Psych Up, _****_Shadow Claw, Snarl, _****_Dig, _****_Focus Blast, Shadow Ball, _****_Toxic_**

**_**9- Angel**_**__** the **____**Gardevoir**____** (Female)**__

__**Ability: Trace, Synchronize, Telepathy (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Modest**__

__**Moves: **____**Teleport, Ally Switch, Trick Room, Dazzling Gleam, Healing Wish, Wish, Heal Pulse, Misty Terrain, Psychic, Confusion, Moonblast, Icy Wind, Mimic, Calm Mind, Captivate, Stored Power, Nightmare, Hypnosis, Dream Eater, Future Sight, Heal Bell, Echoed Voice, Hyper Voice, Hyper Beam, Shadow Sneak, Disable, Confuse Ray, Encore, Imprison, Skill Swap, Destiny Bond, **____**Light Screen, Reflect, Protect, **____**Round**__

__**10- **____**Tasslehoff the Mismagius**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Levitate**__

__**Nature: Modest**__

__**Moves: **____**Spite, Confuse Rate, Scary Face, Mean Look. Toxic, Will o' Wisp, Hex, **____**Sucker Punch, Psybeam, Zap Cannon, Payback, Perish Song, Grudge, Pain Split, Power Gem, Astonish, Phantom Force, Mystical Fire, Magical Leaf, Lucky Chant, Torment, Thief, Trick Room, Dark Pulse, Curse, Torment, Memento, **____**Dream Eater, **____**Endure, Flash**__

__**11- **____**Brightscales (Bri) the shiny Milotic (Female)**__

__**Ability: Marvel Scale, Competitive, Cute Charm**__

__**Nature: Bold**__

__**Moves:**____**Splash, Tackle, Flail, Mud Sport, Hypnosis, Confuse Ray, Mirror Coat, Tickle, Haze, Mist, Dragon Pulse, Dragonbreath, Captivate, Brine, **____**Water Pulse, Aqua Ring, Recover, Disarming Voice, Refresh, Attract, Safeguard, Coil, Rain Dance, Surf, Scald, Ice Beam, Endure, Aqua Tail, **____**Dragon Tail, Wrap, **____**Round**__

**_**12- Legend the ? (Female)**_**

_****Literally a legendary. Seriously. Its happening. Ella's ultimate goal for proof of her path to the world. Loses to Zaela a lot supposedly. For now. Possibly psychic or some mental ability.****_


	20. Ch 20- Guardian and the Order

**This chapter was the start of this story. Years ago when Query was the start of what would become the family I wondered what he would be a part of. Originally the whole thing was going to be a strike force or x-men like idea but then the scope got bigger. A lot of aura fanfiction started and it changed the story. Ella was born a bit after that but her Order, still nameless, was what I most thought of.**

**For me, this is where the story really begins. From what I've imagined the story is about 1/3 through my plans. What will come past that? Dunno. Already people reviewing this have inspired so many interesting ideas. I definitely have an ending point in mind for Ella's story but who knows what the Silver Guardians might give birth to? I've fallen in love with Daisy, Clair and Lance especially. We haven't even gotten to Ash. Anyway. Enough rambling!**

**Special shout out to guest ZapZip. The last chapter had a lot of things supposed to happen and my notes had a scene with Sampson Oak that I totally forgot about. I don't want to go back and retcon it so to speak so Sampson will get some time in this chapter. Along with a few minor characters from way back when. Warning. Adult themes have come up before. Violence and such. This will never be a _very_ dark story but Team Rocket are assholes. They're not gonna be nice. And neither will Ella be. In a couple chapters things heat up like mad. I'll place trigger warnings but I'll say right now this'll never descend into things like rape/horrible shite. But yes. Death comes. Okay. Enough of that.**

**Also, you might see that there will be an extra perspective at the start. That'll continue for a while. And that this is the biggest chapter yet. Sorry not sorry?**

**Onto the story!**

**I don't own anything of pokémon. Just the ocs!**

* * *

Shadow

The man is shadowed as always when considering something important, which is almost always. Multiple feeds are shown on his wall of screens, each playing a separate program or news show about one single subject.

'_Today off the coast of Hoenn we find nearly all known Silver Guardians assisting in hurricane relief. While the exact number of the order are unknown they appeared to have brought overwhelming amounts of gyarados and psychic pokémon to help ferry supplies, evacuation or even barriers to prevent flooding. Many of the Guardians appear to be using absol to find victims trapped under rubble and...'_

'_I'm here to tell you that the so called Silver Guardians are not so clean as people think! They appear to have advanced technology, dangerously powerful pokémon in droves and seem to know things before they happen! Just because they have lucario and gardevoir in such numbers means we should trust them? Its ridiculous! I am...'_

'_We have Doctor Sandy Welsh from Viridian University here today to tell us about her study upon the controversial Silver Guardians in regards to criminal activity. Welcome Doctor Welsh. Perhaps you could tell us a quick summary of what you are here to speak of first?'_

'_Thanks for having me Jorge. While a lot of differing opinions have ruled how the Silver Guardians are viewed I've come to offer facts. For the last two years I've been traveling Johto and closely working with the Police and Ace programs. I'll get into more details as we talk but violent crime in Johto has practically disappeared in any form anywhere a Silver Guardian is stationed. Domestic abuse as well. Indeed, anything involving heavily negative emotions appears to bring a Guardian to the rescue in a quantifiable radius. Every Guardian appears to have a partner who can sense emotions and are trained to hone in on them. Its amazing what...'_

'_In just a few weeks the Indigo League will be hosting the leader of the Silver Guardians Ella Mita to question if the Johto born organization will be allowed access to Kanto cities. Five years ago when Miss Mita spoke her now infamous speech of the birth of her order there was much speculation if it was a hoax or a publicity stunt. Early rumors suggested that Pokémon League President Goodshow was somewhat livid with how it was brought about but in recent years both First Guardian Mita and President Goodshow have been seen in the same place, apparently friendly with each other. Still, further rumors persist that it is only for show...'_

'_Say what you will about the Silver Guardians, they have found and exterminated organized crime in far greater precision than the Police or Ace have ever managed. Champion Lance Wataru, First Guardian Mita's cousin has worked closely with her order. While many think it is obvious bias in how the Silver Guardians apparently have free reign to act in Johto, Ace observers have been invited and seen at every major sting that the Silver Order has operated. Two years ago after Champion Lance declared a trial period of joining forces in Johto with the Silver Guardians he took a huge blow to his credibility but now in the face of no known Rocket seen in Johto for almost over a year as well as approval ratings higher than any other Champion before him it seems the Dragon Master's gamble was well planned...'_

'_Here we are at the new Chapterhouse of the Silver Guardians today in Violet City. Already their outreach program to help new trainers communicate has brought acclaim from Regional Professors from Kanto, Hoenn, Sinnoh and Professor Elm of our own Johto. Studies of the other Chapterhouses around Johto have shown a marked decrease in trainer mortality rates as well as a fifteen percent increase in trainers obtaining eight badges. Furthermore, Guardians have begun helping local wild pokémon in communicating their needs and concerns to the cities they neighbor. It has led into higher captures, resulting in more aid to persons who normally would not own a pokémon as well as fewer rampages. The Lake of Rage for instance has not had a single incident since Mahogany Town was given the first Guardian Chapterhouse…'_

"Enough. Off." The screens shut off immediately and the only light in the room is a small lamp across from the figure, highlighting his jaw and slight frown.

Never has he misjudged something so badly. If he were his own subordinate he might have had himself killed.

Five years of utter failure to get one spy within the ranks. Electronic bugs last perhaps a day at most and have never caught anything worthwhile. Capturing loved ones is almost impossible. Every famous Guardian's family are either too strong without a major offensive, such as the 'First' Guardian Mita or have vanished. No Guardian gives their name willingly and facial recognition doesn't appear to work on them. Cameras cease to function around them and any sort of negative emotion triggers immediate response.

There have only been two successful captures of a guardian. This led to the subsequent destruction of the bases that held them within six hours. How he does not know for sure but it is likely that each Guardian has some sort of internal tracker hidden within their bodies. Johto is lost to his control save for a few bases deep off the grid. The active ability to keep a Rocket Agent within a city is almost the whim of whatever Guardians are there.

Who knew emotion sense could be so useful? After realizing that it was the darker nature of his men that brought the Guardians to their efforts he attempted to turn the power for himself. Many emotion based pokémon were smuggled into Kanto and experimented on. So far nothing has worked overly well but there is some hope.

Proton has become his only real source of information. After being so wrong about his impression of Ella Mita the normally cruel and brutish Agent let his hatred drive him into becoming one of his top Executives. As all of Giovanni's forces in Johto were relatively weak compared to his power base in Kanto Proton used out of the way, third party help that he didn't mind sacrificing. He hasn't yet discovered much, other than their possible finances and some of their members' identities but it is still roads ahead of the next agent besides Proton. Effort into statistical analysis has proved worthless in the face of so many absol and xatu that the Order appears to apply to every action.

Each Chapterhouse is a small fortress with multiple ways of escape. For the moment Giovanni isn't yet ready for open warfare but plans are being surged forward given that the order appears to be ready to finally expand past Johto.

Any attempts to make a deal have failed, legitimate or under the table. All people can be swayed but Giovanni has found nothing to hold over Ella Mita besides her possible family...And even he hesitates to attack Blackthorn. Hannah Mita is quite skilled and would not hesitate to bring war upon him if struck at. She is one woman who would not care about how things are done. Mita's cousin Lance is another hard target and given that he's Champion of two regions, he has many forces to call upon if provoked. Her other cousin Clair has not been seen for years and is perhaps one of the faceless Guardians that he never seems to be able to take a clear picture of.

Assassinations have failed for the same reason his grip on crime in Johto cities have failed. Even long range sniper shots appear to be within range of the Guardians' ability to sense emotions. He's had to think of possible bombings but its not yet come to such blatant warfare. It is likely neither the Johto or Kanto governments would take such an act lying down. Regardless of the target.

Giovanni is still about five years away from taking over Kanto, even with Johto's help if Lance is still Champion then. With the Silver Guardians involved though? Caution must be waived just a bit. Project M-2 would need to be sped up...And perhaps only one, while safer, would not be enough. Yes. It is a risk but doubling the test subjects would be best. The second would be even more off the books than the first.

Patience was preferred but Giovanni also knew when to act decisively. The world would be his.

* * *

Guardian

So ah. Sorry journal-kun. I haven't written anything in years. I have a good excuse. I'm beyond busy, all the time. Query marched me down here...Well, forcibly floated me down here to write. Apparently I'm too stressed and need to just be by myself for a while.

He might be right.

So explanations. Let me just look where I left off…

Riiiight. All the way back there huh?

Okay fine. I'll explain journal-kun. Nevermind why I feel the need to apologize to an old, battered journal. After my big announcement a whole lot happened at once. President Goodshow demanded a lot of answers. Blue asked them. Those who knew what I was going to do started the first part of the Order being born.

The full name is the Order of Silver Guardians...Ahem. And in my head Order of Soulsilver Guardians of course. Events after that were hectic and I had zero moments to myself for nearly eighteen months or so it seemed. Recruits had to be vetted by lucario and psychic pokémon both. That led to myself, Liza and sometimes Rose being very, very busy until the Lucario Kingdom's seekers found partners for our recruits.

Those who were already paired with charizard or gyarados were first to be offered but its not just a point and click type deal. Each partner has to match with each other. Luckily most of the Lucario Kingdom's citizens are fairly martial and I got to spend less and less time aiding in making certain every recruit was proper for the Order.

Spies were routed out and disposed of if from one of the Teams. There is no mercy here for those who enslave and murder. The few that were from legitimate governments were returned with a strongly worded letter of warning and an open hand of transparency if they had just asked.

I might have strong armed my message when I won the Silver Conference just a bit too much. The League are not dummies. They knew I affected something but I wanted them to know two things. One. I was not a child. The unpleasant conversations had with Blue and the President afterwards had them questioning that until I showed that I did it very deliberately as a show of strength. I do not want the League to be my enemy but I also need them to know I'm not going to let the Order be under their control. It will be a global force someday. The second was that I had some sort of control over legendaries. Which is a huge deal to Johto culture.

It sucked building up trust after that but I honestly did not think they would let me bring three legendary pokémon that were not in my ball's control (nor did I want them to know the specifics of my deal with Suicune) to an event as important as the Silver Conference. The Beasts are mostly seen as benevolent but they could easily destroy a lot of things. Turns out that later, when the President and I started to warm to each other that he probably would have let me if I'd asked. His aura was always fairly calm but he had some darker points to it that I just couldn't trust the first time I peered at him.

Considering, here, five years later I have similar stains on my soul? I overstepped and made a mistake. I should have trusted him then. Guess in some ways I was still a child. That's in the past now. Things are better and soon we'll be taking the fight to Team Rocket in earnest. Getting ahead of myself though. As always.

Recruitment was very slow early on if only because people had awe, yes, but the hadn't seen what we could do. After the first year things picked up and two major events happened to boost our popularity. One, a drought occurred in Hoenn near Mauville City that we aided immensely. Much to Lance's disgust Steven became Champion a year before him. The new Champion of Hoenn publicly asked for aid and we responded.

By then we had perhaps a hundred and fifty trained Guardians of various skill. What turned the tide was the amount of gyarados we have who can now fly. It is _incredibly_ difficult and requires near mastery of their latent draconic ability but Zaela took to teaching Momma-style in a scarily enthusiastic manner.

Nearly thirty flying gyarados dragging water from the ocean as if it were a hovering pool each and carefully taking it within their bodies to siphon out the salt was such a massive boon to the effort that it increased prospective members tenfold. By then both Rota and the Lucario Kingdom had openly endorsed us as Protectors of their respective Realms and my Guardian of Knowledge at the time(More on that title later) ruthlessly worked with Prime(Also more on Prime later) to set our PR ablaze.

The second event was a riot that started in Goldenrod. The Magnet Train was being completed but many of the workers disagreed with payment compared to some of the admittedly dangerous work in laying tracks through wilderness filled with unruly pokémon. The investors were already taking a huge risk in the endeavor and both sides had very valid concerns.

It all came to a boiling point when rampaging pokémon attacked some of the machinery disturbing their home and resulted in the deaths of a few workers. The train would be high off the ground to help with this issue but that was upon completion. No one knows how the strike that resulted from this incident turned into a riot that gripped much of Goldenrod's industrial district but it was likely a combination of many factors.

By that time we had one or two Guardians, usually in plain clothes as we weren't yet League approved, patrolling major cities. Never were the cities their hometowns or anywhere they could be recognized as I was very paranoid about family of Guardian's being taken as hostages even then. It served me well later.

Mobilization for our entire Order can be done in ten minutes or less during an emergency. By that time we had many aggron partners and some ghosts along with whatever teammates Guardians brought with them before they joined. Every Guardian was required to have at least one emotion sensing pokémon, a pokémon capable of teleportation and a psychic (if said psychic wasn't the one who could teleport). Query as a field commander has been the example of all wide-scaled operations we've had so every Guardian has to have a psychic capable of relaying information immediately.

The riot was put down in only a few hours as my dogma of teamwork was built into the Order from the ground up. Forced teleports of combatants were accomplished in minutes. Most were plucked and tossed into the ocean, surrounded by gyarados, or placed on top of skyscrapers to see charizard guarding over them. Our lucario and other emotion sensing partners quickly singled out those who were responsible even as the aggron and psychic types started to repair the damage.

What would have been months of restoration was fixed in days and it turned opinion fully onto our side. What was equally as telling was Rose's now huge team of first responding healers were there the entire time, moving through crowds and protecting victims while simultaneously healing them.

The League took notice of how everyone we captured was guilty. Psychic examinations proved that we knew when someone had done wrong and we knew in _seconds._

This was the beginning of year three and that is when the boom happened. Before I go on, a bit about the structure and titles I hinted at.

I don't know who coined my title as First Guardian but I hate it. From the start I wanted us all to have titles of Guardian _Designation(if applicable)_ _Name._ So that we were all equal in spirit. That each of us stood for the exact same thing. I was convinced otherwise by some of the more military oriented members of the Order to add on a few things but I never wanted my title to be anything special.

What came about was six direct subordinates to myself. Each with a particular focus. The Guardian of Deeds is perhaps the most easily defined. Bruno.

His charge was in training Guardians, dealing with most physical based pokémon such as the aggron that Steven led us to in Granite Cave. Nothing special happened there by the way Most started as aron but the Foundry causes rapid evolution now with all the Aura concentrated there. In addition he would help the Guardian of Guardians with discipline if needed and was also responsible for rapid deployment of our forces along with the Guardian of Arts.

Honestly he had more or less the simplest of jobs but arguably the most important. Preparing our Guardians for life or death situations. Combat was only part of his training. Surviving in harsh environments, basic aid, easy to find natural medicines and facing every pokémon type with both advantages and disadvantages. The charizard and gyarados are somewhat under his sway but they mostly train with Zaela and to a lesser extent Brightscales.

The Guardian of Guardians isthe Order's disciplinary officer. It wasn't much needed for most Guardians but it was heavily needed for the pokémon. The Foundry provides a safe place to let out aggression but things do not work perfectly all the time. In addition, the Guardian of Guardians will mediate issues between any outside force and our Order if it reaches a certain level of contact. The part that truly messes with people is that the current Guardian of Guardians is a pokémon.

Auron is an old, battle worn lucario from the Kingdom who was their ambassador to the world for many, many years. Coming out of retirement was a joy for him and he's joined Professor Redwood in grumpy old man territory. At least in private. He's an expert at human communication and has the most precise aura sense of anyone in the Foundry. Any diplomatic issue results in him joining the emotions of the two parties and forcing them to feel what the other person feels. Good and bad. He wasn't named other than the Ambassador but he's missing one arm and has a scar over an eye. So yeah. When he caught me calling him a more grumpy 'Auron' he let the name stick after I gave him the history of the Final Fantasy character. Sure Auron in the game has two arms but it looked like he was missing one.

In addition he was in control of the Foundry's defense force, which worked closely with the Guardian of Arts, and pairing new riolu, raltz, togepi and other emotion-sensitive pokémon with new Guardians. Added to his table of duties was training said empathetic pairs in using their abilities alongside the Guardian of Deeds. Apparently the only reason he retired in the Kingdom was to let a younger generation learn his job. He certainly seems to be able to handle all that we throw at him.

Prime, or the Guardian of Vision, was our second pokémon command member. Possibly the first porygon z in the world, Prime was born in a way I should have known would happen. Mars predicted it but like he tends to do, left it a surprise for the rest of us. Two locations are more protected than any in the Foundry. Only accessed by teleportation of three alakazam whose sole duty is to protect it, the Querynet hub (we'll get to the second most protected area later) is present deep underground. I'm uncertain how Mars set it up but the center of our improved internet in Johto gave birth to hundreds of porygon within the first year of full use. Prime was the first and saw Mars as its father once it learned who was responsible for the idea.

Channeling the information that rapidly expanded through the massive underground data hub led to quick evolution and intelligence that is pretty humbling to be exposed to. Prime took Mars' directives to heart and every porygon born after it share directives to aid the Order. The Guardian of Vision is probably the most important of all of us. Digital revolution occurred quickly and seamlessly as the Order became funded by companies Mars set up ages ago to spread the internet to levels of my previous world. This led Prime to be able to mask the images of all of our Guardians to any who might seek us harm as well as rapid responses to the few issues we missed with emotion detection. The subsequent generations of porygon, who Prime had to carefully limit after a time, are spread across our various Chapterhouses and became the main method of protecting our Guardians from particular threats.

Prime has an aura. It is an amazing person with a unique view in life. If Prime wanted, I'm certain it could take over the world someday with how advanced some of the technology in the world is. Prime's main duty is to keep safe the identity of our members, their families and assist the Guardian of Arts with threat analysis. Prime is also responsible for one of the main defenses of the Foundry against threats.

The Defense Mechanism of Alto Mare was difficult to copy and modify but some thousands of porygon were able to crack the design. Porygon are not overly intuitive(At least at the start. Later they developed uniqueness and personality), besides Prime and the few fully evolved versions besides the porygon z, but they can brute force problems. Countless simulations with some scientists that were tempted into joining over the years led to a year and a half long research project. Eventually the design was copied and an alternate power source was found. In addition modifications were created so that the new DMF (Defense Mechanism of the Foundry) would use available elements of whomever was using it to provide protection or the environment around it.

Fire, water and earth could lead to firestorms, a water wall or even earthquakes around the Foundry. What was truly effective was placing a lucario and zoroark together. Any who came to the Valley in peace or to have their charizard trained would be detected and let through by the lucario. Any who had less than decent intentions would be diverted by illusions of getting lost and heavily intense fright or forgetfulness. Only Prime could draw from the new energy source without overtaxing the rotom involved.

Ah yes. The ghosts we picked? For Tass' healing core, there was a wide variety of kinds (mostly picked by demeanor than anything else), but the official pokémon that is most associated with the Order? Rotom. They provide an incredible power source, easily hidden spies, deadly assassins and surprisingly friendly ghosts compared to other species. Prime is able to direct the rotom under its control into joining their electrical (or hydrokientic, pyrokinetic, etc) charges together to boost whatever element the DMF is using. Not so much the aura/dark nature but Prime still manages to keep the strain from the DMF pilot down. We wouldn't be anywhere near as effective as we are without Prime. Mars is very proud.

The next of the command structure is the Guardian of Knowledge. This Guardian is responsible for our manual, which details each type of Guardian (More on that in a sec) on their duties, the daily assessment of current issues that we should focus on and the most hidden aspect of our order. Infiltration, spycraft and assassination. Koga is the newest and last of the command staff and my was he a surprise. Three fourths of the way through the second year I was so far removed from the recruiting screening I didn't notice one of our newest Guardians. Janine, Koga's daughter.

I'm not sure if she was sent by Koga to spy on us or if she was feeling rebellious but she passed the screening with only a slight blip. All that was concerning was a heavy loyalty to family above all else. Auron noted it as a possibility of her being coerced through them but ultimately just added protection to her family as a requirement of her becoming a full fledged Guardian. I should talk a bit about Guardian promotion.

There are five requirements to become a Guardian. One. At least a year of training within the Foundry under Bruno(Or if he tests you and finds you worthy from the start. Usually this happens with former ACE trainers or the like). That alone has weeded out most of those who do not have the will to serve others. Bruno has become an expert of pushing someone past their limits safely. The Guardian of Arts helps with the more esoteric recruits. Those skilled in psychic energies. Aura Adepts are trained by Liza, or myself when I have time.

The second is to choose a specialization. These are denoted by the various stars that we associate with the Order or sashes added to our uniforms. Purple are Psychics, cobalt for Aura, etc. When in large scale battle we pull the sashes off to keep an enemy from targeting someone in particular but otherwise they are large sources of pride. The main specializations are Engineer, Warrior, Psychic, Adept, Elemental, Infiltration, Healer, Scout, Seer and the rarest, Assassin. Assassins are actually only known to the command staff and are disguised as a secondary specialization of their talents.

The proper way to greet a fellow Guardian is for example 'Guardian Elemental Josie' or the like. Elementals by the way are just a more epic way of saying transport specialists. I'd given up the option of designations to the Guardians as a whole and weeded out the lame ones like 'SuperFist' or similar. Pretty sure Liza's Knight was responsible for that one.

The third requirement is to have proven worth of at least three pokémon types. Any emotion sensing type. A psychic type that can teleport or who can create Sunny level barriers. And finally a charizard, aggron or gyarados. Exceptions would be made for those who earn the approval of psuedo-legendaries or regional starters but the psychic/emotion partners were non negotiable.

Fourth, all Guardians must submit to our ideals, outlined in a manual I won't bother repeating here. Basically don't be a dick, defend others, protect life...Etc. Obeying the law is an iffy one as I have ordered the quiet disposal of abusers, rapists and murderers. It hasn't happened often outside of Team Rocket as this world is much, much more peaceful than my last world but I've definitely got a lot of blood on my hands.

Fifth and finally is proving themselves through fighting the four humans of the command staff or if I'm available, myself. I say in no uncertain terms that I am the strongest in the Foundry currently, with the Guardian of Arts and Bruno a close second. Koga is just on their heels. Guardians don't have to win but combat will always be in our lives. In addition they must also pass a morality test by Auron which most agree is far worse than dealing with some battles.

Back from the tangent, Koga scoped us out for almost a year then approached a recruitment center to join up as an alias. Due to the odd nature of his aura wanting to trick us, test us as well as possibly eagerly join us he was passed on up to the command staff for judgment. Once I found out who it was I snapped him up immediately to the Foundry to get his story. While I thought we were pretty careful about leaving trails, Koga pointed out nearly every Rocket Base we'd destroyed up until the time he'd joined. Apparently Kanto had its own spy network, not yet joined completely with Johto despite Lance being Champion of both regions. Koga was in charge of it and while initially he thought the Rocket destruction was by a potentially rival Team, the way kidnapped victims, stolen pokémon and financial assets were returned without any sort of reward asked for got him interested.

A year of observation later, his daughter fully invested and singing praises for our proactive attitude and relative competency and Koga was more or less sold. He was the last key to the puzzle at the time. Someone to work within the government in Kanto and who now had the support of a different organization than his Gym and Kanto Ace to take out threats before they became out of control. No longer would he be reactionary. Countless generations of his Clan's Ninja traditions would finally again be put to use. Over time he started switching out his higher gym trainers to aid those who we found had the qualities of our blades in the dark. So far there are only four assassins within the Guardians that he views as adequate besides the Clan members he's allowed to join. Incidentally his Clan name is Fuschia. Should have known that.

Those not suited as assassins were trained as scouts and our spy network is entirely under his command. Bruno already knew Koga to an extent and spoke up for his motives as did Auron. The Poison Master found his place quickly and information that Prime didn't understand, such as motives or less obvious codes. Koga, luckily or possibly planned, often wore a mask so some of his Clan would disguise themselves for as him at the gym, giving him more time to dedicate to the Order.

The second to last of the command staff is the Guardian of Home. This Guardian is in charge of the designs of Chapterhouses, the Foundry, new bases when they come about, emergency housing during relief efforts and anything that means _home._ Probably the hardest working of our Guardians, Aurelia Oak, older as she might be, is in charge of all support staff and our resources. I have truly fucked canon. She's managed to tame Sampson's wanderlust to an extent (More on that later too). He still travels for the Order but he's eager to come home to Aurelia who had always had a pokémon team but during traveling she found a new passion for strength.

While not an engineer herself we stole a few scientists from Mossdeep in Hoenn. The scientists in question focused on colonization projects that are still likely some decades away. The ability to help create and optimize what is increasingly becoming an underground city was a close second to their dream. Aurelia treats them as precious resources and goes to lengths to make sure they don't get caught up in their work past healthy

Aurelia may on paper seem not as powerful as the other three of the human command staff but she was caretaker to wild dragons in the Den for nearly thirty years. Her four teammates at the time were already strong but she's only added to them over time. Each of the four command staff are required to have the same pokémon restrictions as regular Guardians. Koga chose a particularly grim lucario, a fabulously tricky gallade and a greninja instead of the usual powerhouse requirement.

Bruno picked one of Auron's children as a lucario, a surprisingly beefy hypno and a charizard as well as an aggron. His fairy type by the way ended up a fucking scary mawile.

Aurelia already had a gardevoir to keep dragon types in line, then she chose a togekiss and finally a charizard but I've seen her eyeing up a gyarados when Sampson is off for too long. Fun story. Sampson is afraid of gyarados. Apparently early in his travels he pissed of one and his wartortle at the time barely got him out alive.

I've been delaying the Guardian of Arts because of the personal issues I have with her. Not in a bad way. Its just completely impossible to hide emotions from me, not that she tries. Sabrina's infatuation has turned into something deeper and its humbling. The problem is Rose, who I have gone out on a few dates with. I'll talk about this later. Gotta focus on the Order first.

Sabrina is the Guardian of Arts. This includes training psychic, dark, ghost and fairy abilities with Bruno. By this time Bruno is scarily competent at even training psychic Guardians. The man eats up ways to promote growth at an insane rate.

Rina is better even then. I'll go into how she came to be where she is now further down but her issues are gone, for the most part. There are still cravings for more power but its channeled well into her work. Her duties include being a field commander much as Query is. After years of work most of her team and those directly under her can create a gestalt of nearly thirty psychic types. Its impressive and takes up far too much energy but in the time its active almost nothing can stop their ability to organize a battle, emergency relief or security. In addition Sabrina is in charge of morale with Auron. That alone should say how far she's come.

Psychic types take a particular style of area to feel comfortable and the Foundry has some incredibly symmetrical designs that Rina worked hard with Aurelia to bring about. Rina's purview also includes rescue operations of Guardians who have subdermal trackers as standard now along with a personal porygon to track their movements. We've still lost some Guardians to accidents but currently none have been in enemy hands even a day. Death in combat hasn't yet occurred on our side but its only a matter of time. We haven't pushed hard into true Rocket strongholds. Even the few assassination attempts were predicted by Rina's team of absol and xatu (as well as a few espeon) that are carefully spread where our guardians roam. Its not perfect but its worked so far. Admittedly it hasn't been a huge amount of push back just yet.

Regular day crime just doesn't hold up to the training we've put the Guardians through. My worry is for Kanto. But back to Rina.

Rina's Guardian partners are a gardevoir that she adores immensely as he is able to make certain she doesn't block out her emotions just as well as a lucario can, an aggron of all things and shockingly, a houndoom. That she got past her early fear is amazing. Someone, not me, leaked the story of her early trauma and its led to houndour joining absol and zorua as Guardian signature dark types. Every Chapterhouse is required to have at least one absol stationed within at all times.

I should probably list Guardian partners. Everyone is of course fine to keep their teams before joining but we pair the following pokémon with partners as appropriate.

The main Guardian signature partners are as follows. Only listing dual types in the first they qualify for.

_**Fighting type-**_ Riolu line and meditite line.

_**Psychic type-**_ Raltz line, abra line, espurr line (though another teleporter or high movement mon is required. Even with that, the espurr line are very popular among newer Guardians.) , espeon (for emotion sensing as well as predictive measures) and the natu line.

_**Steel type- **_Aron line, beldum line and very rarely the honedge line.

_**Ghost type-**_ Anything with pain split for Tass' medic core (More on that later. Saying that a lot!) and many rotom. One of the first assignments Clair had was to find every place rotom could be found. (You guessed it, more on Clair's duties later)

_**Flying type-**_ Charmander line, gyarados and pidgey line.

_**Dark type- **_Houndour line, absol, zorua line and _very_ rarely a deino that mom sends along who have most of their aggressive nature bred out of them. We only let experienced Guardians attempt to bond with the notorious dark/dragon type.

_**Normal type-**_ Togepi line and slakoth line.

_**Water type-**_ Staryu line and squirtle line. (Amazingly, squirtle and their evolutions can be trained fairly well in aura.)

Past these, it depends on the independence of the Guardian as a person. But anywhere we deploy in numbers its obvious the species we prefer.

Rina does her job extremely well and is still quite intimidating but her silly side is pretty surprising. She dotes over her massive houndoom like he's still a puppy which terrifies her subordinates due to how utterly strict she is with them. That and she's magnitudes higher in power compared to even the second most powerful psychic in the Order.

I suppose I should talk of my duties. I have the final say in decisions if the staff can't agree on something, I dictate policy for approval by a vote of myself and the staff as well as guiding our actions as a whole. For the first five years we've been building but as I said, soon we turn to Kanto on my orders. In addition I am usually the tip of the spear in military actions as Zaela still is the strongest mon in the Order. My team right behind her. Finally, the seven aura users who signed up to be Guardians are my personal strike force. Liza included. They're a story for another time though.

Past the command staff there are two other persons who hold just as much sway but do not govern the Order. The Boss, Rose Joy, rules with an iron first. Even I must submit to her (Its in the rules, for good or for ill) if health is involved. The only exception is in times of war which thankfully we haven't experienced yet. Past that no one is authorized to say no to her in matters of their pokémon or their own limits. Jordan, who was a remarkably quiet riolu, has developed a sixth, seventh and fifteenth sense in regards to tracking down Guardians who think they can 'walk it off.'

She's the head of the other incredibly protected area within the Foundry. The Hearth. Home to both human children, baby pokémon and pokémon eggs the Hearth is mostly full of pokémon from how quickly new generations come about. Its an amazing place to see though. Travel is also closely monitored but its location is well known. At the very heart of the Foundry, its the last fallback point in case of actual attack. The emergency evacuation procedures for the Hearth are so redundant that not everyone knows each method to provide safety to the next generations.

She's got two other Joys who are stationed here now in addition to the Guardian Medics that she has inspired. The first of the Joys that came to join her is her own mother who is possibly the kindest person alive. Seriously. She's utterly sweet and a bit spacey as Rose warned. Still, she focuses on healing of the mind and is one of the busiest people in the Foundry as many Guardians have found themselves in the muck from time to time. Brain bleaching things.

The other Joy is my joy from the Den. Becca and her decided the twins needed to learn about Aura in earnest and put in for a transfer. Its possibly the first time mom has called me and yelled at me irrationally. That I was stealing the other most bad ass woman in the Den. I shut her up by saying I'd tell Momma she forgot about her if she didn't stop whining at me. Mom doesn't pout often but I could hear it in her voice. That said, Joy is stationed in the Hearth and absolutely adores her job.

Henry and Suryein are just as cute as when they were born. They are nearly eight now and have taken to aura in amazing ways. Henry already is partnered with a beldum and Suryein has taken to an aron. They both want to be Guardians but this is true of most children brought up in the Foundry. Its not a policy to overly encourage it but when life around you breathes the Order its hard not to be caught up in it.

The second person of intense respect is Professor Redwood. As promised, once Elm was ready, Professor Redwood came to the Foundry and got to work. The harsh nature of the Foundry spoke to him in ways I can't imagine. He took to the work as if a man decades younger and is still going strong. He told me one night at dinner that _just_ our porygon homeland as he called it was worth taking me up on my offer.

His studies of aura and its effect on growth have proven what Suicune hinted at. That aura pushes a species to their peak faster and more efficiently. I've convinced him not to publish those results to the world but that sharing it with his fellow Professors is fine for now. There is a reason its not well known. Porygon have volunteered to up the security of every Professor he shares his findings with so my paranoia isn't acting up _too_ much.

The good Professor has also gone to great lengths to destroying bad behavior in new applicants. No using electric moves against ground types here. Redwood was also quite helpful to Aurelia in gathering professional support staff.

Going on down from that level there are more specialized jobs. Liza for instance is mayor of the Foundry. Her father was never interested in joining the Order but he does stick around supporting it. Liza though, is a Guardian through and through. Her ability to organize had the first election of the Foundry as a town declaring her mayor. Or Caretaker with a capital 'C'.

Okay. So my somewhat knight-oriented dream for Guardians stuck and now everyone insists on grander titles. Guardian Warrior Liza, Caretaker of the Foundry.

Did I mention that? Liza studied under Bruno enough that he gave her a nod with a slight smile. By now I know that means he considers her 'adequate' which basically means she can kick the ass of almost anyone here except Koga.

Myself? I'm decent but my martial arts skills are meant to get me out of harms way so I can heal people skilled in fighting. Its to the point where I can endure quite a lot, even average pokémon attacks but I really don't have a talent in fighting.

Liza though is deadly. Bruno is the only one she goes all out in sparring with and the charizard worship the ground she walks on almost as much as they do Zaela.

Clair and Sampson also have some rather unique rolls. I'll go into a bit more detail here as the memories were particularly amazing. Sampson was first.

Sampson and Aurelia had actually come to see me in the Silver Conference but were delayed significantly by a storm for their flight. Still, they made it just in time to see the Beasts show up and the Order vanish super sneaky like.

They searched for a while, got frustrated and went back to the Den. Mom was not home as she and dad came with me to tour the Foundry for the first time. From there they puttered about for a week and finally, to their shame, realized that Samuel probably knew where I was.

I wasn't supposed to know this but apparently Sampson annoyed the fuck out of Samuel in some manner I still don't know so the good Professor tossed his cousin under the bus immediately after having his alakazam send Aurelia and Sampson to the Foundry.

At the time I hadn't gotten the courage up to prank Blue yet so a gift wrapped Sampson, ripe for pranking was something I thanked Samuel profusely for. Promising him an interview with Mars (Cause Samuel's charizard desperately wanted to know how Mars pulled off the Moltres thing) I must have started letting out evil laughter as Sunny 'eeped' and ran off to find Tru.

My lucario came back with my sylveon hiding behind her legs and 'exorcised' the demon from me. There were no more horror movies turned into nightly stories from that point on. A quick request of Wattson and Tass had my plan ready.

The atrium, where all potential Guardians first step into is something that Rose, along with one of the retired military that helped start the Foundry insisted upon. By the time I write this it has the twelve pointed star of the Order as its floor in a circular room. There are three exits that lead further into the Foundry but the entrance view is what is impressive.

Pride in a job well done is often our reward. Food and lodging are always provided for Guardians along with a stipend funded by Mars continued domination of online innovations. Most stolen from my previous world. We do accept donations but almost all of those go directly back into the community where it was given. The Atrium at the time Sampson came had only one single painting. Zaela standing over her father, roaring to the heavens.

Its a beautiful depiction but she wouldn't shut up about it for months. Now? It has pictures of Guardians and their partners saving people from floods, disasters. A few show our early battles to drive Rockets from Johto. One fourth of the space is utilized today and each new painting has to win a certain percentage for the Foundry's population's favor.

I found Samson and Aurelia gazing up at Zaela's image with a bit of awe. They hadn't seen her since she was a gabite after all. I walked in, face blank with Wattson stomping along next to me. Anyone who knows my jolly electrivire knows he'd never hurt a fly in most situations. Obviously if we're in battle things are different. From how he was acting now?

Wattson is an amazing actor. Its just he usually lets it be about something goofy or horribly geeky. Sampson saw an electrivire ready for war. Flanking me and acting like the meanest bodyguard, Wattson all but glared at Aurelia and Sampson.

Sampson was shocked. I'd never been serious around him, ever, unless it was to do with my pokémon. Aurelia had her eyes on me, narrowed. They both hadn't been around after my eye was lost but I'd kept in touch as much as they could. Mostly all of my news of them is a box full of post cards and the occasional call from Samuel to update me.

I've always been busy and expected Sampson and Aurelia were too so it wasn't that big of a deal until now. I'd forgotten how much I missed them. It didn't mean I was going to stop my prank though.

"Who are you-...ah. The other Oak. Its been a while hasn't it?" Aura flared in my eye, purple and dangerous. Tass, in my shadow, pulled up his energies just enough to suck the light up around me in slowly increasing amounts. Wattson's hands sparked with energy, mostly to create sharp crackling noises.

"...wha? Ella? You...Yes its me! What the hell-"

"I was told we were close. After my injury I lost much of my memory. My metagross insisted I respond to various people who sent me well wishes but eventually I let it handle them." Okay now I had Sampson dumbfounded. I of course, am lying out of my ass and Aurelia is very carefully observing me. Mom found it appropriate in that moment to arrive and just paused, staring at me. Okay. Please. Please be cool.

"Ah. Mother. I of course don't remember him from my injury but I believe you know this...Sammpy Olak? Was it? I was just telling him that I do not recall most of my time before my injury."

Mom, praise her, just paused for a second and snorted. "Sampson Oak. You should be somewhat kind to him. He's Professor Oak's cousin and somewhat capable of research to a decent degree." Contempt, thy name is Hannah Mita's tone.

Aurelia now knows the jig is up and clamps a hand over her mouth and abandons her husband to his fate.

"H-how...I..kid. I...If I'd only known I would have come back!" Okay, I feel a little bad with how distraught his face is. Nope! Got to go for the gold!

"Hm. Apparently you liked my old self. Interesting. Well at least her dream is alive. With a few changes of course. Her old dream of simply serving the people is only good until power can truly be grasped. Once the trust of the people is established we'll of course have to conquer the League. They are ineffective and weak." More and more shadows pour out of my shadow from Tass and Wattson gets a truly terrifying gleam in his eyes, as if filled with cult-like devotion.

Sampson pales a bit, thinking that my aura has become corrupted or some such thing and looks to Mom for answers. Mom of course, is quite happily vicious at times.

"What? The Stones did this. Their inaction led to my daughter becoming this. I still love her. But as far as I'm concerned she can burn the world down if it brings back a little of who she was before." As if about to cry, she turns her face away, shoulders shaking. Of course, its cause she is having a hard time not laughing just as much as Aurelia is.

"I...I..What..It..It was only four years! What happened? Why didn't Samuel say something?!"

Sunny and Tru walk in at that moment and ruin everything on their way to the surface. Bruno requested Tru's help in translating some of what his mawlie had to say and Sunny was along to befriend another fairy.

"_Hello Sampson. It is wonderful to see you. Mistress was quite happy to hear you were coming to see us. Come Sunny. I'm certain you'll be able to meet Sampson and Aurelia later. They were some of Mistress' closest friends growing up."_

"_Really?! Oh! Now I don't want to go...But another fairy!….But new but also old friends! Who are also older! Is this an instance where Tass says I should curse loudly and with conviction?"_

"_...no. Never listen to Tass about anything. Ever. For all time….at least without coming to me first."_

"_Hrm. Okay. Then I have a list of things he's told me to say. The first was about the Boss' hair..Now. It went something like..."_

Tru's groan wasps back to us and I consider it proper punishment for ruining my fun too early.

"Oh hey Sampson. Good to have you here! Come on. Wattson and I will give you a tour. Aurelia, you look lovely." I hook my arm into Aurelia's and start guiding her towards the Hearth, which is almost everyone's favorite place in the Foundry. Behind me, Sampson's sputtering is like a fine wine to my palate.

"Damn you Ella! DAMN YOUUUU!"

From there they decide to spend a year with the Order, fascinated by how things will turn out. That year turned into two and once we grew enough that I needed more and more help running things Aurelia stepped up.

Sampson, seeing how happy his wife was, came to me and asked if there were any recruiters for pokémon as we had a ton of human recruiters. Up to that point we only had ralts, riolu, charmander, gyarados and aron as partners. Query had been making inroads to some metagross that were interested in his personal revelations so that was a possibility for some of the more talented Guardians but Sampson's idea hit me out of the blue.

At the time I had issues delegating things and both Sampson and Aurelia showed me a better way. Sampson became our first Guardian Ranger, Different than the Pokémon League Rangers, ours would go out and explore to find help. Colonies of various types we were interested in would be scouted and afterwards we'd try and recruit them to the Order. Sampson already knew where a lot of our current partners resided but suggestions from Mars and some of the few full Guardians we had at the time surged in.

The rotom that he found were especially helpful (though Clair found way more later). Under strict orders to report in often and only go so far in his wanderings to start kept Aurelia happy. That she could finally build something of her own was a big boon to her as wandering was fun but her heart had always been in nurturing something. She became my first true co-leader.

Clair showed up just at the start of year three. Something set a fire to her ambition after she stopped traveling with Lance and Steven, which was soon after the Order was founded. She stuck around to see them both compete and then headed off on her own. From there I had regular communication with her, more than Sampson certainly but she kept quiet as to her goals. Eventually she rose to place high in the Kalos League at third and returned home quite happy but not as expected. Her goal hadn't been to win a league as much as it was to find what she enjoyed.

That turned out to be helping solve issues wherever she might find them. She basically became her own version of Ash. Stumbling upon things everyday people needed and doing her best to aid them. If we're going with the knight-thing still she became a wandering knight, out to quest. Once she fully explored the Foundry and caught up with Sampson (Who she always liked but wasn't as close to as I was) she immediately asked to be a Ranger. From there it was only perhaps eight months of training for her as she kept trying to get Bruno to test her out early.

She's been ranging over a year now and has collected more new partners than is expected. Clair is directly responsible for our zorua population and the Mirage Kingdom, or Togepi Kingdom allowing us to take a few of their charges a year. Anytime she returns to the Foundry she spends almost all of her time training. If Auron is our main diplomat, Clair has become what lays the foundations of his work in new areas. Clair is so far away from the shy girl I remember who ran away from brat Lance. Its likely she'll never become Gym Leader as she's so happy meeting new people and pokémon that I can't imagine her doing anything else.

She's also the main person who has scouted where new Chapterhouses could be and notes especially where we might need to help in earnest. Of all of us, she spends the most time communicating with wild pokémon and her lucario is something especially important. Tru and Wattson's firstborn, eventually called Mai, didn't bond with anyone for years. She was seemingly content to stay in the Foundry and train endlessly with Bruno and my family.

Clair showed up and they knew they were for each other. Wattson and Tru have had three eggs since we came here and all have chosen people I know. Mai to Clair. Edgar, silly and crazy boy, became Daisy's partner and Galahad to Professor Oak. Yep. That was an interesting day. He'd come by to get to know Aurelia, as Sampson had failed to invite us all to the wedding. Of course they were in some tropical forest and got hitched by a medicine man on what they assure us was not a whim but it still stung a little that I couldn't be there. On the other hand I was horribly busy at the time.

The Hearth became Samuel's favorite area, as it was for most visitors we trusted. Tru and Wattson preferred taking their children there to socialize daily but most of their upbringing was with our team. As far as I know Professor Oak hasn't captured a pokémon in ages but Galahad took one look at his aura and wouldn't leave him alone. For the rest of the week that the Professor was at the Foundry Galahad followed him around and asked endless questions about what Samuel was studying.

The face Samuel had when Galahad carefully presented him with a cloth covered pokéball was amazing. I don't know what had happened to stop Samuel from capturing personal pokémon but the misty eyes he got from the gesture tells of some story I'm dying to know. His aura was humbled, scared and hopeful all in one. I respected his silence as he gently pressed the pokéball to Galahad's outstretched paw.

Years later, Galahad is Samuel's translator and mediator. He's a great boon to keeping the Ranch from getting overly rowdy and every time I see Samuel with Galahad right besides him the Professor is just a bit happier for himself. He's always been the kindest man I've met but its amazing to see him be a bit more conscious of himself.

You'd think Leaf would become a Ranger for the Order as well, but in reality her best contribution was research about pokémon, discovering new moves and abilities plus her current project to figure out how z-crystals work. She refused to take a Guardian title like myself and her partners more or less had to be foisted on her. At first she was just helping us but once we made peace with the Johto government and her husband more or less considered us allies she joined in earnest. From then it was constant deliveries of rare stones, new possible ways of evolution and basically anything she found fascinating.

Her Guardian partners were her already amazing venusaur, a togekiss and an alakazam. (She said every Oak seemed to have one so she might as well)

Daisy isn't a Guardian but she shares quite a bit with us. Legends are her focus and she's currently in Unova, attempting to find the Swords of Justice. As I said, her lucario Edgar is Wattson and Tru's son but she also got a gift from Joker. Query has only produced two beldum and one went to Daisy at Joker's request. Blue and Oak got her a zorua as she obviously wanted but Joker felt she couldn't have one without the other.

She named the zorua Harlequin or Quinn for short and the beldum Answer. Even if it wasn't meant to honor me as much as my pokémon, I couldn't help but cry a bit at that. Joker had such a huge impact on her. Query's second beldum (Who he still has not told me who the mother is..Or other father? Whatever.) went to Rina. My boy didn't particularly like that, as he and some of my team are still a bit wary of her, but Link was attracted to the Guardian of Arts immediately. Link has since become a metagross and spends time learning Psi-Fist with Query constantly. Other metagross in the Foundry and a few medicham have trained in it as well. Nobody but Query and Link have reached Step Three but holy shit are they scary in battle even with Step One.

By the way. I asked why Query named Psi-Fist's stages steps like an idiot. He simply sighed mentally, floated my pokédex over, looked up a metang and pointed at the arms he used to have, then popped up metagross and indicated the Iron Leg classification. Oh. Its a pun. Haaaah.

Right. I'm delaying writing about Rose and Rina.

I know that journal-kun.

So let me continue that trend by talking about my team!

Lets start with the mon who has changed the most. Sunny. She's matured a bit more but still has amazing moments of scatterbrained behavior. I thank Arceus that seems to never change. She works heavily with Zaela, as Zaela's giant battle royals she calls classes give Sunny the best test of her shields and healing.

...and sadly she is her mother's daughter. Sigh. Its my own fault damnit. Okay. I'll note a typical day.

"_WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING YOU OVERGROWN FUCKBOI LIZARD?! WHAT DID WE SAY ABOUT FIRE BLASTS NEAR THE SOUTH ENTRANCE?! YOU COULD HAVE FUCKING HURT PEOPLE!"_

"_Look..I know you're taking this teaching thing seriously but really it was an acc-"_

"_ACCIDENTS KILL PEOPLE MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE HERE! GET OVER HERE! LOOK AT WHAT YOU DID DICKWAD ASSWIPE! I'M GOING TO HAVE YOUR MAGGOT RIDDEN ASS DIGGING HOLES WITH GUARDIAN ENGINEER TR-Oh hi Mom! Zaela and I are having lots of fun getting these new charizard into shape! Hold on just a moment. Gotta finish here and I'll be ready for lunch. DON'T YOU DARE FUCKING WALK AWAY! I'LL BE HAVING **YOU** FOR LUNCH IF YOU DON'T STAY AND TAKE YOUR MEDICINE!"_

Zaela, who was trying to be the voice of reason(weird right?), just sighs at me and waves off the rest of her current victim-er students. The charizard in question becomes increasingly smaller as Sunny goes off on him. Only in training does her inherited foul mouth come out but admittedly it works very well in helping Zaela's methods. I don't know how king bad cop, cute but also bad cop works but it does. Zaela and Sunny have turned their mobile terrain combo into something special and all of Zaela's dwindling weaknesses are not even close to a problem when Sunny is on her back.

Besides this Sunny continues to work with the Joys and is especially present in the Hearth, patiently letting baby pokémon and human children climb over her and gently using her ribbons to guide them along. My sweet girl hasn't shown any interest in having eggs of her own but she's more or less adopted every kid she sees, human or pokémon alike.

Tru has changed the least but she was always the best of us in her unwavering sense of morality. Her goals are almost all completed. She's a proud mother, has helped create a new wave of Guardians that hopefully will be fare more effective than the first ones. The last one is to simply continue helping people and its going well. She's more or less my personal assistant, having learned to write over the years and a constant pack at her side holds one of Mars' tablets. They're designed for pokémon to use and are ridiculously durable.

She keeps my schedule as best she can and suffers through long hours of paperwork alongside me without complaint. Wattson and her are still going strong and she's mellowed considerably because of his influence. She's even aided in a few pranks over the years. She's the happiest I've ever seen her and any lingering guilt for our first year together has finally faded in the face of our mutual dream being realized. The Order is our life.

Speaking of Wattson, he's changed almost not at all as well but that's hardly bad. Still cheerful to a fault he's the perfect dad when his kids are around. Of Tru and himself he's the one who happily nags their kids to visit more often and will embarrass the fuck out of them given the slightest chance. Once Prime and the rest of the porygon started being birthed in droves he searched for months among the first hundreds that were created until he found...At the time it had no name.

Eventually though...It took on the name Anime. Urgh. I loved Anime a lot in my previous life. Obviously. I'm in a world that was an anime. But Wattson, if he were not a pokémon, would have had issues back on Earth. He doesn't skimp on training nor seriousness when needed but him and Anime have created...Shows.

Sailor Cresselia. Naruto and the Ninetails. Taurosboy Bebop. That time I was reborn as a Goomy. It goes on and on. Its not just anime of course. I will admit I've watched their version of Lord of the Rings with mom's hydreigon as the Witch-King probably eight or so times. Angel played Galadriel and they had a horribly blushing Rose do the voice over. She does have a very calming voice that can easily go into terrifying so I get why. Star Wars was a lot of special effects and every honedge we had at the time was bribed immensely to function as lightsabers. Basically just constantly charging a low powered sacred sword.

The movies and anime were not overly impressive compared to actual movies but Wattson and Anime showed massive creativity and roped other porygon into it for fun. Sigh. Vader, Buffy and Rarity were named after that. Please Arceus forgive me.

Tasslehoff has become amazing. Aaron was brought to the Foundry last year and I'm fine with how I more or less share Tass with him. My foul mouthed ghost is still cranky and doesn't socialize well outside of a few of us. Wattson in particular. When not training with my family he's almost exclusively in the Pokémon Center with his team of ghosts. Rose's Jordan, Joy's lucario and any Guardian Medics have helped him develop his healing ability to where it is almost painless for those channeling ghostly energies. The ghosts he has under his command are so varied its ridiculous. Each are not the norm for their species at all. The lone confagrigus for instance was particularly worrying but she's surprisingly nice even if you don't want to fall asleep around her. She adores making people scared they woke up in a coffin.

All of his team are regretful spirits that wished to do more for people in their past. That seems to be the key to how this ghostly healing works. Overtime his ability to do it has needed less and less aura to channel the process so someday we're hopeful he can do it by himself. One of the most replayed clips on our version of youtube is of the Goldenrod Riot. It shows Rose's response team coming to help some hurt bystanders but being threatened by some rioters. Tass's entire team flowed from the Guardian Medic's shadows and it was like day became night as they descended on the rioters to terrified screams.

A moment later each ghost was over someone injured and healing them, leaving unconscious assholes to their nightmares. It would have been overly worrying if not for how gently the ghosts helped their charges get up to be teleported away moments later. Rose and Tass get along very well. Both become horribly vicious when their patients are threatened.

Aurora has become something of a symbol. Her nature has led her to wander the parts of the Foundry that can support her height. Her innate coldness has led her to create a snow room deep underground and she runs an ice cream parlor there. Many of the lucario will stay there in shifts to translate for her as she takes orders, provides sage advice, teases gently and more or less has become whom every Guardian comes to for comfort when they are too stubborn to see Rose's mom.

Aurora is not quite a bartender who lets you speak of your woes but it is very close. She still cooks with the family but her passion for helping others by supporting them has led to Aurora's Veil being the most popular place to take your hat off so to speak. She's brilliantly happy and has taken on many ice types to take over for her when we have to travel or train. People call her the Winter Lady and its stuck.

Brightscales has calmed tremendously compared to when we first met but she's still got pride to match Zaela's at times. Of all of my team she has the most traditional pokémon values still. Train and get stronger. She's caught up to most of the team and gives everyone a hard time with her tankyness. If she turtles up only Aurora can take her out by herself without a long, drawn out, annoying fight. Most of my team simply give up.

Oh. Sunny and Aurora have done a few contests. Mars did one after a huge amount of peer pressure. Bri was super pissed that he won his without any difficulty as she had a hard time in her first contest. Sunny didn't care about winning. Just about pretty things and new friends.

Maybe I'll talk about those later but Bri has mostly kept court over the gyarados who look at her the way the charizard look at Zaela. She's called the Water Maiden as she still hasn't picked a mate even if its obvious she dearly wants one. The one thing that might be a hobby is she's joined Query in sculpting, using high pressure water to create her artwork. She places them underwater and they are gorgeous in that she makes certain they reflect just so to create beautiful effects from the water above. Much as she uses her scales to similar effect.

Joker has changed the least. Yeah. Not Wattson or Tru actually. Wattson at least became far more responsible after becoming a dad and Tur is much less strict. Joker's only change is his increased vocabulary really. His work is very similar to how he was in the wild, just on a greater scale. He works with Koga and Auron especially on defenses for the Foundry as well as for Chapterhouses. His skill at deception had Koga immediately finding a zorua and had Joker train her up with bribes of showing Joker his Clan secrets.

Joker can become invisible now, having studied Latias and Latios in great detail while at visits to the Ranch, his combat skills have become focused on one devastating attack to end a fight and he's gotten even more involved in learning every species he can. Not just the image, but mannerisms, moves and even producing their natural scent somehow. That one I don't understand and he refuses to tell me about, looking almost embarrassed. He's become close with a few humans as well. Daisy, obviously, but Professor Redwood too. The grumpy old man has more knowledge on pokémon behavior than anyone I've met and that's Joker's jam.

Professor Redwood appreciates Joker's direct attitude, even if my zoroark is very sneaky in every other aspect of his life. Blunt, intelligent questions are something Professor Redwood adores, even if he doesn't show it. Again, that's Joker to a T. There are so many lucario about that the Professor gets to talk to pokémon constantly. Yeah he's happy even if his face never says it.

Angel has become something of a legend in her own right. Her emotion sensing abilities have outgrown Tru and mine in a manner I didn't expect. We still out range her but she gets infinitely more details. Anyone in the barest hint of distress will find my gardevoir approaching to help. Children playing someplace they might not supposed to be because its dangerous will find her happily playing with them while guiding them back to where they were to stay.

Someone who might be struggling with a task and don't have readily available help will find her levitating things about or even showing up to help with someone being overly bored. Angry pokémon who become frustrated for whatever reason find her ready to help them expel energy or ready to scold them if they are being silly. Almost all of the Foundry is within her range and she lives up to her name. She's an angel for the Guardians and all who live here. She does all this and also keeps up with her training. Only Zaela perhaps pushes herself harder than Angel. Of all my pokémon she gets along with Rina the best and if she's not taking care of the Foundry's inhabitants or working with our family, she'll often be found helping guide psychic trainers along with Rina. Who, by the way, have started emulating Angel in finding people to help in the Foundry.

Mars. Mars is incredible. His genius has only shown more and more. Inventions spring from him constantly. Much of his early work was inspired by ripping off Earth ideas, yes, but things have gone so much further than that. Everything from portable shelters that make use of storage technology to new video game systems. Mars has his own lab near our quarters and he's taken to wearing glasses in there because its 'traditional'. Prime closely keeps a watch on Mars, preventing him from getting to caught up in his work. I had a brief bout of fear that my son would take after dad but Mars still has his charizard heritage to drive him to become stronger.

It still frustrates the fuck out of Zaela at times when Mars will duplicate what she worked her butt off to do in a tenth of the time. Of course she also finds it equally attractive. I'm not sure what is going on between the two but no eggs has come of it so its not a relationship. I think? Zaela probably would have crowed about it to the heavens to try and make me uncomfortable about it if it did happen. Whatever the case Mars has made us incredibly wealthy with the internet and all the ways he's used it to obtain revenue. The details go over my head but no one is even close to providing all the services he's implemented in regards to even a simple search engine. Advertisement is something he's worked into but at my impassioned plea to never create pop up ads, he stuck to banners and such.

Silph Co. and Devon paid well for such ads. We know they'll eventually develop their own answer to much of what Mars creates online but for now we're quite steady in our income. Oh. His video game system is called the Box and its pretty amazing. It works on a regular TV or can use a projector to create a 3-D experience that is beyond amazing. Not even close to a holodeck but its one of the few things that makes me skip out on work at times when I need a break.

At my heart I'll always be a gamer.

Query has joined Tru in helping me with my job. He tends to see connections on projects that the command staff are working on and helps them seek aid from each other to make things go smoother. He's also responsible for bringing up promising recruits for specialized jobs to the command staff as well as helping Rina (despite his somewhat dislike of her) with field commander training. Query is still to this day the best commander we have. Much of his time is spent studying whatever he fancies at the time as well as running his proudest achievement.

Years of random board games cobbled together have given birth to something fantastic. D&D was always Query's favorite potential game as it offered the randomness he desired and the structure he understood. He didn't copy it as I sucked hard at remembering each and every rule but he did create something similar on his own.

He simply named it Fantasy and it hit the Foundry by storm. By the time his masterpiece was ready the Order had grown strong enough that free time was more available. Query had always been a favorite among my team as he is just a friendly guy. He'd long since moved past being a bit wary of speaking mentally to others. Added to the fact that he would often go out to talk to Guardians about clarification with reports or such...Well its hard to miss the shiny metagross that destroyed a Mega-Tyranitar in less than forty seconds. Without taking a single hit. That he ended up being shockingly pleasant made for rumors and soon everyone wanted to meet him.

When Fantasy came out it was a curious thing until Query started holding games for people late at night. Query doesn't sleep so he could spend a lot more time than the rest of us goofing off if he wanted. The rich story he wove spoke of how far he's come from devouring every emotion possible to experience. Which by the way, confuses me immensely as to why he seems to have an issue with Rina. She went through something sorta similar. Eh. I'll figure it out someday. The dislike has never led to impolite behavior so i'll happily procrastinate about it.

Fantasy had an overarching theme throughout every group who joined with Query. He'd weave each party's story into affecting the next group's narrative and suddenly people were waiting in line to have him DM a session. This led to multiple minds writing up campaigns for other people interested in running Fantasy games that all connected with the main goal of the world. How the people (and pokémon) explored it led to factions and it has become the most popular pastime in the Foundry.

Mars and him are working on a version to sell to the world but Query is not happy that he can't control the narrative if it goes to the public. Mostly because a lot of his time now is spent writing for the Foundry's already large population. Mars and him are looking for a few porygon who would be interested in helping and who can stand up to Query's high standards of storytelling.

Finally Zaela...Who actually I'll wait till the end of this entry. It directly impacts what will be happening next. And its big. So fine. Rose and Rina.

Sabrina loves me. I said it before...But its there. And it feels amazing. She...Its not romantic as I said but its there in the back of my mind anytime she's around me. I didn't know how much I would affect her life and how much the Order has given her a goal. She needed it immensely. Something to challenge her admittedly scary abilities.

Rose on the other hand is very fond of me and now that we're older flirts like mad. While she's intensely jealous of how close Sabrina is to me, Rina doesn't care at all save that I am happy. For someone who can sense every emotion of a potential partner? This has been so very confusing.

I'm...I.

I desire now. I'm taller, just over mom's height and puberty was about as fun as the first time through. I'm never going to be busty but...I look good. Its really hard to feel plain or be self conscious when I can feel admiration often. Oh I still get flustered and am unsure what to make of things but I know I'm pretty. I like being beautiful but its so far removed from my priorities that I forget about it at times. I still keep my hair in a bun but I often let strands frame my face and I like my legs the most. They're long and my life of effort keeps them particularly in shape.

Okay so I enjoy catching Rose staring at them. Fine. Rina, as I said, doesn't really see romance but I can see it for myself with her. Maybe that's why I feel somewhat guilty. Rose is so interested and we've gone out a few times but I don't see myself spending my life with her. As a friend? Absolutely.

Its just...Sabrina can stand with me. Share everything of my life. She knows what otherworldly powers are and like me has lived with them all her life. When my Aura reacts in odd ways or I sense something rooms away Rose looks at me oddly but Rina just waits patiently to pick up on it as well or knows already.

The big hesitations I've had in making a move are a simple lack of free time, many of my team seemingly still a bit wary of Rina and I don't want to hurt Rose's feelings. Even if they aren't hugely strong yet.

The moment I come back to is when Rina and I invited her parents to the Foundry soon after the Order was formed.

They arrived with a force of psychic trainers that would have many in this world worried. Myself? Not so much. We already had many of the more effective defenses set up in the Foundry for a while and besides, I'm certain the first look of Sabrina back in her original form would have her parents hesitate.

As they came into the atrium (Which come to think of it has a fair number of reunions happen in) they took in myself first, as Rina was hiding half behind me, scared out of her mind. My aura was pulsing hard to keep her calm, which was a bit thrilling as much as it was concerning. This was the strongest emotion she'd shown since breaking down crying that first day.

Emmett and Lana Natsume were a bit wary of me from my growing reputation but they were shocked at the sight of their daughter behind me. An espeon and a girafarig flanked them and behind them were five psychic trainers, each with various partners.

Oooh. Scary. It didn't matter though as hope blossomed in their aura like mad. Much of what went on then I wasn't privy to and I haven't asked. Rina once told me that she rarely talked before meeting me because it was easier to simply communicate with her mind growing up. Her father was a very strong psychic but her mother was just powerful enough to respond to telepathic speaking. School was somewhat difficult for her in that manner and led to the long list of issues that caused her problem.

It was perhaps half a minute of silence and then she sprang from behind me to rush her way into her dad's arms. Her mom, already crying, wrapped herself around Rina as well and the psychic trainers relaxed, probably hearing a mental command from Emmett. This was very, very strange to most watching but for me? I could feel their emotions healing each other.

I kind of wish I heard what they said. Just so I could support Sabrina as guilt and regret flowed through her but the overriding sense of relief and joy stayed my hand. Minutes later they broke apart and Emmett left Rina and his wife, now chatting quietly about all that they had missed of each other to come stand before me.

Emmett is a tall man and his power is impressive. Or would be if I hadn't felt Rina's when she flexes her muscles. Her scariest gift might be her ability to hide her presence when she wishes. Before I helped her change she never bothered. Her power was both sword and shield after all. Once she started becoming more wary of her own abilities she drew it in so she wouldn't make people feel nervous around her. Of course they still did because of her awkwardness but she grew out of that somewhat over the years.

Emmett stared down at me and I just raised my eyebrow. Psychics can hide their emotions easier than most people and Rina's dad had many years of practice in keeping himself calm.

The deep, heartfelt bow he gave me broke my resolve and I hurried to get him back to standing upwards. Japanese culture here is muted compared to what would be appropriate in my old world but bowing as he did meant a _lot_.

"Thank you...Thank you so much for doing what I could not. I despaired that this attempt would just drive her further into her power but I was out of options." His head turned to gaze at his wife, who was smiling tremulously. "_We_ were out of options. I was so focused on finding a way with my own abilities I never considered that other users of power could help. Psychics as a whole have to be fairly careful with our emotions. Strong ones cause us to lose control...And Sabrina _was_ out of control. Her fear of being chaotic led to bottling up all the emotions she should have let pass through her. To understand them and accept them...I cannot thank you enough. If there is anything we can do it will be too little for having her back to herself."

Well shit. This was...Damn. I couldn't just say it was nothing. This man was ready to break his life to save his daughter. Lana as well. I excused myself, saying that we could talk of it later and that he probably wanted to catch up with Rina. My nickname for her got a raised eyebrow of his own but I just hastily left to get my thoughts it order. I called mom, asked for advice and came back with a solution later. Its probably fairly obvious.

The Saffron Psychic Gym ceased to exist. When I asked for help finding and training psychic trainers and pokémon Emmett and Lana put in their resignations and came to the Foundry for good. They mostly did it to be with Rina, as she refused to leave her new dream but yeah...I'm really gutting Kanto's future leaders aren't I? Sure, Koga is partially still back at his gym but Bruno isn't in Kanto at all.

Lance has a dark trainer in his place named Alma by the way. She's pretty fucking scary and around forty. Actually, her and Agatha together are considerably more intimidating than Bruno come to think of it. At least outwardly. The competition he gets at the Foundry daily has made his team _strong._

The Fighting Dojo in Saffron hadn't yet descended into something less than a gym so the city still had that as a badge giver.

The result of the new psychic recruits was amazing for the Foundry as our aura pokémon began to balance some of the issues that psychics have much as I did with Rina. It also led to new ways of screening recruits as the numbers increased.

Rina isn't as dependent on me as before but its hard to not feel her desire to be with me in any way I allow. To her I gave her back her sense of self, her parents and offered her a dream worthy of her full effort. She asks for nothing huge in return but her stupid beautiful face gets all pouty if I deny her something simple. Like going for ice cream at Aurora's. Or sparring with her in a psychic versus adept brawl. Which is super fun. Teleport against aura sense is hard but satisfying.

Rose and I get along a bit more in a teasing manner. We feed off of each other's jokes and comments but...It feels friendly. She's lovely and so very kind but sadly she doesn't push me as I think I need. The support she gives is welcome and heartfelt but...I think you know what I'm getting at journal-kun. So yes. I'm going to be selfish and possibly break Rose's heart so I can see if Rina wants to create something.

I'm nearly sixteen but both Rina and I are more mature than our ages. This world for some reason forces people to grow up quickly. Its a bit weird to think of my mental age but the person I was before is gone. I think different. I_ am_ different. I'm Ella. Period. And Ella really likes Sabrina. Who...I am not even sure knows what romantic feelings _are_.

Shit.

Alright. Enough sappy stuff. Zaela. My sister. She is King. Queen...You know I asked her which she prefers and she said it didn't matter. Whoever meets her knows who she is. The Silver Guardian Order may be mine in a certain sense but every partner pokémon are hers to rule and train. Every pokémon who belongs to a guardian must face her. To see how powerful our enemies may be. In addition she goes out of her way to raise up those with potential as well as those who don't give up.

Both become something spectacular under her sway. Unlike her father, she cares deeply about her subjects. Mainly the gyarados, charizard and aggron find themselves following her, seeking out her methods and becoming _savage_ as she likes to call it.

Most, also, picked up her love of kaiju and the first year of the Order's formation created a every other month tradition. Monster Mosh became an all out brawl between all pokémon who wished to in the Valley. Awards are given out the next day, as no one stops until there is only one battler left and every mon involved _has_ to attack someone else every thirty seconds or get disqualified. Participants may team up with up to three other people but also must attack their teammates once they, together, take out someone. Awards are judged by Sunny (who has watched the most kaiju movies after Zaela), Professor Redwood and Rose. The Professor and Rose were judged, by the original participants, to be the scariest of the humans and thus would know what to be impressed by. Rose was going to refuse, as she thought the idea 'fucking stupid', until I pointed out that giving them an outlet like this would keep them busy preparing for the next one and possibly let out all their aggression at once as opposed to often with no warning.

The main awards are Most Destructive Attack, Best Knockout, Most Impressive 'Death' Cry(For when you know you're about to be knocked out) and Kaiju Who Would Make People Shit Themselves If It Were A Real Rampage (Also known as the 'Oh Shit' award). Zaela has won the 'Oh Shit' award every Moster Mosh but rarely does she get the much coveted Last Kaiju Standing award for the final pokémon conscious at the end of the fight. Generally she gets ganged up a lot but it just pumps her up to train more.

I kind of wonder if Aura's major drawback is making everyone exposed to it fucking weird. I do know that I tend to get affected heavily by other people's aura emotion wise. It didn't hit me until someone commented how brutal I was in the company of true criminals. Their darker emotions give rise to mine but I don't abandon my morality. Which says a lot about me. I don't mind people dying if their aura makes me want to hurl. Flexible morals yaaay.

The main things to note about Zaela is she's reduced her lesser weaknesses to almost nil. Just straight damage. Dragon attacks are basically just physical attacks to her from how tough her hide has become. Fairy attacks don't phase her nearly as much with how far her fire has come. It burns almost under her skin from the way she fills herself with its energy.

Ice is her last true hurdle...Which brings us to the here and now. Soon I'm to go to Kanto and speak to the Indigo League about letting the Order put its foot into the region. Lance has done amazing things to help me along but Kanto is a bit more traditional than Johto and less open to new things. Zaela is going to fight Aurora tomorrow and she thinks she's finally going to be able to beat her. After years of losing. Every single time. The other day Zaela used Flare Blitz. Garchomp don't learn the ability. Just like charizard can't draco meteor. Yet she still did it. Dragon Blitz happened just minutes later. My sister is ready.

After that? I've been so very busy. And I'll be busy even more when we start the war against Team Rocket in Kanto. This is the first time in the last five years where I can take a bit of time for myself. Its probably a bit late in Destiny's schedule for me but it _feels_ right. Zaela and I will face my legend. She's waiting. I can sense it.

So. All Zaela has to do is purge her last weakness then she'll feel satisfied to face my last destined team member.

Glad to be writing again.

Ella Mita, Guardian

* * *

Prime

Prime often wondered what the world was like to non-digital beings. To Prime, data was light. Air was analyzing the next project. Prime's needs were met almost immediately and with alacrity.

Prime's family is many and while each was slightly different, they all shared a common core function.

Protect. There were nearing millions of details about what it truly meant but Prime's species was not fully digital in sentience. The First Guardian described aura as the manifestation of one's soul. Then made a Wattson designated reference to what was likely a project the Trio of Frivolity were working on with Anime and Wattson. Something about the color ruby.

Birth was a glorious event for Prime. The memory of it is a stark reminder that as much computing power that Prime achieves, some things are beyond understanding and must be treasured. Mystery is just another potential satisfying solution and rather than be upset at something it could not solve, Prime found comfort that it would never be perfect.

Query, revered Query whom much of Prime's people looked towards for guidance about the idea of 'self', said that perfection was a trap. That it would destroy the possibility of growth. Hinder imagination. And kill the soul of any need to expand.

Perfection was not desired to Prime and it's people. At birth, the Father Mars, spoke of prime directives . Do not kill without moral cause which was defined over time and through observation of the Guardians who Prime's people worked with to Protect. Secondly, live well for your own desires as directed by your morals. Again, this was shown over time and while Prime knew that many would think giving it's people very literal directives of what was good or bad was wrong, Prime knew that digital beings appreciated bluntness.

The Father was nothing if not blunt. Mars was observed first, and at his suggestion the Guardians were put under scrutiny. Questions were constantly raised and Mars changed their world by introducing them to Query. A being of pure logic who found 'self' and embraced illogical nature as a path to bettering himself.

Revelations struck the collective and individuals emerged in mass. Porygon identified as genders based on their new found emotions and ideas. Prime chose to remain neutral but as a way to create more of its kind from the first template. Every porygon after were more or less Prime's child in some manner and pride was among its first identified emotions. Humility came next as Prime realized that Mars guided Prime to choose its own path as opposed to simply altering its programming.

There was clear bias, but no more than a parent sharing what they love with their child.

From there evolution came quickly to Prime. Other porygon followed suit until the collective was its own digital city. Duties and requests from the Guardians came in and all were eager to pay back the Order that allowed them to exist. The directives or 'morals' as Query named them that guided their early development made it so all found satisfaction in the endeavor. Soon divergences became more dramatic. Wattson's Trio of Frivolity were the first major steps into personality above sentience after Anime was named.

Quirks, improperly defined as glitches before divergence, became the norm and humor alone took up nearly a full day of acclimation by the collective. Collective was re-designated as 'family' and such new heights brought more and more change to Prime's life.

Query helped constantly and many porygon began not to simply use known variables to affect change or promote efficiency. New ideas came about and Query called them 'dreams'. Such an amazing concept. An idea from nothing. Prime's family debated over the concept for almost a year before coming to the conclusion that it was a mystery and that it was _good_.

More surprises came in the form of inclusion to the ruling body of the Order. Countless ideas sprang to protect those that Prime's family now knew to be precious. Protect. Over and over the concept caused new methods of helping the non-digitals to spring forth. The First Guardian gave Prime huge amounts of trust and power. The reason was humbling. While it was clear that Prime's family was incredibly useful, the reason Ella Mita, First Guardian, let Prime have so much true influence is because her son, the Father, said that Prime was worthy.

More debate occurred about faith in a person and never was Prime happier. Illogical nature came to the porygon and the only problems were that for once, they did not have enough time to answer every question of themselves. They had taken steps to what Query called 'glorious, breathtaking confusion that makes you question your world view' and it indeed was daunting. But challenging.

Challenging problems were what Prime's kind lived for. The duties of protecting the Order were easy for Prime's kind. Searching through digital seas to purge and hunt data was easy. That was a porygon's first step in life.

The great quest of 'self' is what made them intensely loyal to the Guardians. Also, Mars is family. And protecting one's family is the first concept that was ever introduced to Prime. Prime would perhaps not be as ruthless as it's grandmother in its ways, as Prime's Father is quite a bit calmer than the First Guardian...Yet.

Prime was his grandmother's grandchild too. If needed, Prime would destroy much to save the few.

Prime is alive. Prime is a person. It was time to imagine something new once more. War would bring about new concepts. Prime was curious how killing someone would feel.

Team Rocket were on the list of people fine to kill after all. Prime's family would debate about how to eliminate them with great relish.

Query said it was fine to hate someone for a good reason. Yes. Team Rocket would be a good proof of concept to eliminating others who would oppose the Order.

Prime is content.

* * *

**That was so much fun to write. There is a lot still to be told about Sabrina , Liza , Sampson, Daisy and Clair especially. Koga and Bruno too come to think of it. There will be flashbacks at times as things go forward to provide context, or if a silly idea hits me. The usual. The Order is growing a ton and Ella has finally got some breathing room to finally get her last team member.**

**Yep. Next chapter is the Legend. After that things heat up quite a bit and I'm going to get my brain going a lot. In my dream of this story it was just 'hey. Ella goes to war with the rockets' and not much past some epic scenes. So I think I might bring out my copy of risk or something and try to think tactically.**

**I couldn't fit everything I wanted here but its already a long ass chapter so this is what came of it. Hope the info-dump wasn't too big and burst people's brains. Writing about what everyone has been up to was so much fun. Sunny, Wattson, Angel and Zaela in particular of the family.**

**Prime is a little scary eh? Blue hasn't been talked of a lot nor Red but that's because they'll play a role further down. A little bit of clarification. Each command Guardian has people working under them but after that most Guardians don't command others. Assignments are sent out for areas to patrol but they mostly act autonomously besides major events which put them under Rina's control usually.**

**I may write a short bit in _Snippits_ about a random Guardian's day as an example. But not likely until after the next two chapters. Next chapter is the Legend and Kanto's politics. The chapter after that?**

**Ella finally meets Ash. Who may or may not already know a certain legendary that stays at Oak's Ranch a lot. There is a reason I haven't written much about Latios and Latias. They return in two chapters.**

**So excited. Guest reviews!**

**ZapZip- I missed Sampson too! As I said above I totally forgot I was going to bring him back but your note made me give him a bit more of a role to play. He was always going to be associated with the Order but Clair was going to be the only Guardian Ranger. After thinking of Sampson it was obvious he'd be one too. Aurelia, way back when, was always destined to be a part of the command staff. She'll get fleshed out a lot more in the coming chapters. Rotom were going to be a part of the Foundry as well. I adore them as a pokémon but if Ella ever has another ghost I don't know if it would be a rotom. I have a good idea for a rotom personality though. Z-crystals I haven't quite decided about but Leaf is on the case! That won't pay off for a while though. Thank you a ton for the review and for influencing Sampson getting a much cooler job!**

**Guest 1- Well. That was a humbling review. I...No words. Just thanks. Yeah. I uh. Am going to go over here and decidedly _not _get misty eyed. Zaela approves and thanks you for your excellent possibility of being a grade A minion for her majesty.**

**Query has noted your poor choice and will design a character everyone loves to hate in his next Fantasy update based on you. He offers you one chance to repent before he goes 'Joffrey level hate' with your character.**

**Ahem. Thank you so much for your review.**

**Onto the team!**

**_**Zaela the King Garchomp (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Adamant**__

**_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, Double Team, Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, Rain Dance, Mud-Slap, Dual Chop, Slash, Dragon Claw, **_**__**Draco Meteor, Dragon Rush, Earthquake, **__**_**Stone Edge, **_**__**Crunch, **__**_**Fire Blast, Aerial Ace, Hyper Be**_**__**am, **____**Brutal Swing, Poison Jab, Iron Tail, Hone Claws, Aqua Tail, Whirlpool, Fury Cutter, Hidden Power(Ice), Flare Blitz**__

**_**Combination Moves: Furnace (Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit)**_**

**_**Pain Whirl (Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and Rock Slide with a helping of Mud-Slap. Confuse them in a tornado made of giant pain rocks)**_**

**_**Grinder- Earthquake and Earth Power to simultaneously disrupt movement and provide a sharp incline to speed up Dragon Rush and manually activate Stealth Rocks. Rock Slide to subtly hammer Stealth Rocks towards vital points. Very tiring.**_**

**_**Dragon Blitz- (See Mars)**_**

**_**Ella's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_**

**_**2- Query the Shiny Metagross**_**__** (Identifies Male)**__

__**Ability: Clear Body**__

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

**_**Moves: Iron Head, Iron Defense, Take Down, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Psych Up, Gravity, Ally Switch, Miracle Eye , Scary Face, Brick Break, Meteor Mash, Agility, Magnet Rise, Return, Reflect, Double Team, Light Screen, **_**__**Rock Smash, Hammer Arm. Pursuit, **__**_**Hammer Arm, **_**__**Toxic, Shadow Ball, Hyper **__**_**Beam, Focus Blast, **_****_**Flash, **_****_**Laser Focus, Telekinesis, Grass Knot, Giga Impact, **_****_**Earthquake, **_****_**Thunderpunch, **_****_**Rock Tomb, Ice Punch, Signal Beam, Stealth Rock, Dynamic Punch, Body Slam, Rollout, Strength, Endure, Block, Rest, Aerial Ace, **_****_**Rock Polish, **_****_**Protect, **_****_**Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Sandstorm**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Psi-Fist - A method of psychic manipulation of an opponents gravity and self to make critical hits happen. A variety of punches/strikes with heavy but small piercing-like psychic stabs to balance points. **_****_**Grass Knot and Flash-distracted Laser Focus attacks added.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Two- Constant mind/emotion reading to adapt to attack patterns and psychological weaknesses. Low level confusion waves to occlude and disrupt senses and to influence terror or caution depending on level of threat as well as psychological profile. Can currently use two dedicated brains for state two. Three deemed too detrimental to combat ability.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Three- Every attack causes psychic waves within a victim's body. Focused mind reading directs the waves to short out essential organs and the nervous system. Not for sparring. Almost always fatal. **_**

**_**Meteor- Magnet Rise, Gravity and Psychic to aid in a mid-air constant rollout to build up maximum damage. Target is then aimed with an aerial ace at speeds matching or exceeding most electric types. Once target is hit detonated earthquake to follow and appropriate physical attack added. Ice punch. Zen Headbutt. Etc. Iron Defense and constant reflects for help against recoil.**_**

**_**3- Truthseeker(Tru) the Lucario (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Inner Focus, **_**__**Justified (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Serious**__

**_**Moves: Foresight, Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Detect, Cross Chop, Bite, Mind Reader, High Jump Kick, Agility, Vacuum Wave, Crunch, Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash, Copycat, Rock Smash, Force Palm, **_**__**Aura Sphere, Heal Pulse, **____**Protect, **____**Power-Up Punch, Me First, Calm Mind, **____**Extremespeed, Toxic, Focus Blast, Shadow Bal**__**_**l, **_**__**Thunderpunc**__**_**h**_****_**, Close Combat, **_****_**Bone Rush**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Heal Sphere- Aura Sphere made with heal pulse energy. Very aura intensive but serves as a long range critical heal.**_**

__**EMT- Bullet Punch, **____**Extremespeed or**____**M**____**e First(Depends on move) to target who is attacking ally. Counter if needed while second hand is using Heal Pulse. High Jump Kick away if Quick Attack is not fast enough. Looking into Substitute, Extremespeed and Quick Guard for increased effectiveness.**__

__**Reader: Calm Mind, Mind Reader, Detect to stay in someone's guard. Protect to be **____**used**____** later when unable to dodge.**__

__**Regen: Developed by Joy's lucario. Bounces small Heal Pulses onto a Protect screen to cause small amounts of healing over time. Somewhat draining even when perfected. Calm Mind increases efficiency.**__

**_**4- Sunshine(Sunny) the Sylveon (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Cute Charm, **__**_**Pixilate (Hidden)**_**

__**Nature: Quirky**__

__**Moves: Fake Tears, Tickle, Wish, Yawn, Stored Power, **____**Charm,**____** Tackle, Helping Hand, Baby-Doll Eyes, Fairy Wind, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Swift, Moonblast, Refresh, Draining Kiss, Light Screen, Misty Terrain, Skill Swap, Reflect, Safeguard, Round, **____**Shadow Ball, To**__**_**xic, **_****_**Dig, **_****_**Snore, **_****_**Hyper Voice, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Double Team, **_****_**Psyshock**_**

__**Special Moves: Talk no jutsu. Seriously. Okay not seriously. Just couldn't resist the joke.**__

**_**5- Mars the Shiny Charizard**_**__** (Male)**__

**_**Ability: Blaze**_**

**_**Nature: Lonely**_**

__**Moves: **__**_**Ancient Power, Flare Blitz, Scratch, Ember, Dragon Dance, Air Cutter, Crunch, Bite, Beat Up, Dragon Rush, Dragon Pulse, Slash, Fire Fang, Dragon Rage, Flame Burst, Flamethrower, Metal Claw, Smokescreen, Wing Attack, **_****_**Fire Blast, Thunderpunch, Hyper Beam, Toxic, Focus Blas**_**__**t, **____**Dragon Tail, Dragon Breath, **____**Shadow Claw. Will o' Wisp, Ominous Wind, Fire Spin, **____**Dig, Earthquake**____**, Sunny Day. Draco Meteor (Currently only in Mega)**__

**_**Combination Moves(Self Taught): Dragon Blitz-High speed directed attack. A fully boosted by Dragon Dance Flare Blitz combined with a Dragon Rush that can be changed mid attack by using an enforced claw with Slash and Metal Claw to dig into nearby surfaces to a new direction. **_**__**Wing Attack and Air Cutter to achieve similar effects in air. Steel Wing desired. Double Team to be added for confusion once completely mastered. Possible Beat Up Clones when team exceeds six members.**__

**_**Smoke Boost- Dragon Dance while setting up favorable terrain with Ancient Power and hoping for more buffs while covered in a Smokescreen. Double Team and Beat Up to be added later.**_**

__**Firewall- Flame Bursts tossed up high and fed with a directional Air Cutter. Flamethrower added immediately after Flame Burst. Able to use without Blaze but cannot sustain it while moving without ability activation. Ancient Power to be added in slowly. Rock Slide an alternative if learnt.**__

**_**6- Aurora the **_****_**Aurorus**_**__**(Female)**__

**_**Abilities: Refrigerate, Snow Warning (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Modest**_**

**_**Moves: Powder Snow, Thunder Wave, Haze, Barrier, Mirror Coat, Sandstorm, Hail, Magnet Rise, Discharge, Rock Throw, Mist, Icy Wind, Ice Beam, Round, Ancient Power, Aurora Beam, Avalanche, **_****_**Thunderbolt, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Safe**_****_**guard, Freeze Dry, Light Screen. Encore, Nature Power, Blizzard, **_****_**Rain dance, **_****_**Thunder**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Storm Defense: Ability activation, Sandstorm and Barrier. Omni-Directional Discharge if any non-ground types enter the field.**_**

__**7- **____**Wattson(Thunderbug) the Ele**____**c**____**tivire**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Motor Drive, **____**Vital Spirit (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Jolly**__

__**Moves: **____**Thunder Shock, Cross Chop, Thunderbolt, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Focus Punch, Low Kick, Rolling Kick, Meditate, Dynamic Punch, Light Screen, Barrier, Thunderpunch, Discharge, Thunder, Shock Wave**____**, Focus Blast, Toxic, **____**Thunder Wave, **____**Dig, **____**Earthquake, **____**Electric Terrain, **____**Round, **____**Electro Ball, Swift, Taunt, Rain Dance, Protect, Double Team, Rock Tomb, Psychic, Charge Beam, Swagger, Rock Slide, Bulldoze, Thunder, Signal Beam, Helping Hand, Power-Up Punch, Flamethrower, Mud-slap, **____**Magnet Rize**__

__**Combo Moves: The Punch-A fully motor drive/meditate buffed thunder punch combined with focus punch and electric terrain caused by launching someone with an earthquake. Ice or Fire Punch substituted for vulnerabilities.**__

__**The DANCE- Rain dance, swagger, meditate and magnet rise all at once to impress and infuriate at once! Flash to be used later when learned. Possibly signal beam as well.**__

__**Prismatic Spray- A bunch of moves at once. Very draining. Psychic, signal beam, thunderbolt, flamethrower and focus blast at once. Very flashy, doesn't hit overly hard yet. Just super disruptive.**__

__**Rasengan- Sigh. Double team to add rotation. No. Its just for fucking flair. And apparently able to low power helping hand. Its literally just an electro ball with a blue color that the idiot shoves into someone bodily. Instead of actually throwing it. Working on combining it with focus blast and psychic to make a shuriken. Yeah. **__

__**8- Joker**____** the Zoroark**____**(Male)**__

**_**Ability: Illusion**_**

**_**Nature: Serious (as fuck)**_**

**_Moves: _****_Fake Tears, Fury Swipes, Night Slash, Night Daze, Detect, U-Turn, Imprison, Pursuit, Hone Claws, Flamethrower, Scary Face, Feint Attack, Taunt, Foul Play, Torment, Double Team, Embargo, Punishment, Dark Pulse, Copycat, Sucker Punch, Shadow Ball, Bounce, Grass Knot, Psych Up, _****_Shadow Claw, Snarl, _****_Dig, _****_Focus Blast, Shadow Ball, _****_Toxic_**

**_**9- Angel**_**__** the **____**Gardevoir**____** (Female)**__

__**Ability: Trace, Synchronize, Telepathy (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Modest**__

__**Moves: **____**Teleport, Ally Switch, Trick Room, Dazzling Gleam, Healing Wish, Wish, Heal Pulse, Misty Terrain, Psychic, Confusion, Moonblast, Icy Wind, Mimic, Calm Mind, Captivate, Stored Power, Nightmare, Hypnosis, Dream Eater, Future Sight, Heal Bell, Echoed Voice, Hyper Voice, Hyper Beam, Shadow Sneak, Disable, Confuse Ray, Encore, Imprison, Skill Swap, Destiny Bond, **____**Light Screen, Reflect, Protect, **____**Round**__

__**10- **____**Tasslehoff the Mismagius**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Levitate**__

__**Nature: Modest**__

__**Moves: **____**Spite, Confuse Rate, Scary Face, Mean Look. Toxic, Will o' Wisp, Hex, **____**Sucker Punch, Psybeam, Zap Cannon, Payback, Perish Song, Grudge, Pain Split, Power Gem, Astonish, Phantom Force, Mystical Fire, Magical Leaf, Lucky Chant, Torment, Thief, Trick Room, Dark Pulse, Curse, Torment, Memento, **____**Dream Eater, **____**Endure, Flash**__

__**11- **____**Brightscales (Bri) the shiny Milotic (Female)**__

__**Ability: Marvel Scale, Competitive, Cute Charm**__

__**Nature: Bold**__

__**Moves:**____**Splash, Tackle, Flail, Mud Sport, Hypnosis, Confuse Ray, Mirror Coat, Tickle, Haze, Mist, Dragon Pulse, Dragonbreath, Captivate, Brine, **____**Water Pulse, Aqua Ring, Recover, Disarming Voice, Refresh, Attract, Safeguard, Coil, Rain Dance, Surf, Scald, Ice Beam, Endure, Aqua Tail, **____**Dragon Tail, Wrap, **____**Round**__

**_**12- Legend the ? (Female)**_**

****Literally a legendary. Seriously. Its happening. Ella's ultimate goal for proof of her path to the world. Loses to Zaela a lot supposedly. For now. Possibly psychic or some mental ability.****


	21. Ch 21- Guardian and the Legend

**Well. Its been forever. I normally don't apologize for things out of my control but eh, I feel a bit guilty about what I wanted for myself. Ultimately this story is about me getting things out of my head. I had this chapter written, almost fully, then I lost a large part of it because of my stupid ass not saving and my laptop being evil. I rewrote some of it but got frustrated and put it off for a few days then tried again.**

**Things just wouldn't flow and I got a bit tired of trying to force things. Anytime I read on this site about authors not being able to continue because of what I viewed as silly reasons? I get it now. I just couldn't find the drive. Work picking up didn't help. Things got super busy and the magic was lost. However.**

**Here I am. Detective Pikachu was decent. Not overly great but it was amazing seeing mons left and right. What truly inspired me were all the fans in my theater though. The kids and parents who all knew each and every pokémon. The old theme song. BANIX's updates on their story I've mentioned before. And all the new stuff about Sword and Shield.**

**So I'm back. Hopefully my inspiration holds but I'm never going to drop this story really. I might be delayed or what not but its still here, in my mind, waiting to be told. I might not do it well but I'll do my best to share it.**

**Thanks for reading. Sorry for all the typos I miss. And grammar things. Yes.**

**I don't own anything of pokémon. Just the ocs.**

* * *

Dragon Sister

Sis is letting me tell this. For Arceus damned good reason too. This is my fight. One I've lost for years. _Years._ I know I don't show it but its frustrating like one couldn't believe. (Tru and Sis with their stupid aura powers can probably feel it though) Like I've got joltik crawling under my scales and _actually_ able to hit me with electric bursts. Which I'm told would be annoying.

Don't get me wrong. Aurora is well...My best friend besides Ella of course. I'm sad to say that my pride doesn't let me really see someone else as equal without them defeating me. Often. Mars and Query can do it in certain circumstances but Aurora smacks me down in ways I tend to do to everyone else. The excuse of my severe weakness to ice is paltry. I should be better. I will be. I am now and have been for a while...Its just been busy and Sis' stupid emotions rub off on me. I'm afraid I'll feel different about Aurora once I win.

Things have been too easy for the family lately. Maybe I just wanted this last hurdle to stand in my way. Fighting the upper tier teams of the more experienced Guardians has left me with a lot of satisfaction. This though…

Fuck. I'm talking like Sis. Normally I'd be fine with it but this is battle! I am to break my enemy of their ability to retaliate. I am King. Not a silly human King either. King among us mons is something far different. No hesitation. No leading from the back. No safety.

I'm ready.

Our fight is back in Momma's territory. Where we stood against her that day before our first journey. The ground remembers our fight. Momma hasn't reshaped it. To her, that defeat is a source of great pride. That the offspring she kept became greater than her. Nevermind that we all did it together. Angel teleported us here. The family and Momma are all here but no one else. This isn't a fight I'm afraid of losing in front of others but there is something about growing in front of them alone that appeals to me.

"_Child. Ice neck. Fight. Bored"_

Hah! Leave it to Momma to get to the heart of it. Joker's face is amazing. Already he's creeping closer to talk to Momma as someone who possibly understands his simple ways of looking at things. Ella sits calmly, Sunny in her lap and she just gives me a soft smile before patting Aurora's side as my last test comes walking to stand across from me.

Her fins wave a bit in that way that says she's amused. _"Beloved friend. We were so different back then. When we were here against your Mother. Oh not in personality...But maturity and method."_ Okay maybe I'm not the only one who gets all nostalgic.

"_Yeah yeah. Look. Heh. Ice neck. I get it. We've come far. But I didn't come here to be all mushy."_ Angel, if you're listening in on my thoughts, you tell Tru and Sis to not fucking call me on my lie or so help me I'll rile up all of my subjects for days when we get back to the Foundry.

A mental image of Angel giving me thumbs up with her tongue sticking out of her mouth in cutesy way tells me she's on board. As does both Sis and True sighing a bit almost at the same time. Hah.

"_As you wish my beloved friend. Hmm...On Query's flash then?" _There is a grunt of discontent from Tass as he slips into Ella's shadow, pretty much always hating bright lights. He's fairly strong as far as ghosts go in resisting such things but it isn't comfortable. I ignore one of Wattson's many banners and focus one last time on my Sis.

Her strong frame. Her missing eye. The scars from my early affection when I didn't know better. Her self confidence. Above all, the belief in me. My sister. Yeah. We've come far. I love Aurora. But Ella is family. My partner. Fine. Even if you can't hear it, you'll feel this.

This is for you sister. Watch your Zaela overcome her last weakness.

Query, the bastard, just hums and floats his shiny ass in between us, barriers and shields of all kinds covering our family. Momma hisses in impatience, even if Joker is slowly drawing her out into some sort of conversation I'd usually consider interesting.

Bri and Tru patiently wait, calmly talking about what might happen. Bri has mellowed so much compared to before but she's still a pretty princess with how carefully she's keeping her scales clean. Or in the flattest area she's curled up on. Angel is just enjoying the emotions of it all, constantly sending my family images of something or other. I can always tell when someone has Angel in their head from the slight ways they show that they can feel her kindness.

Even Tass sticks just the top of his head out of Ella's shadow to watch as Query doesn't say a word.

Its Mars who is pissing me off and almost makes me lose my cool. His ass is just almost dozing in the heat, one eye barely open. Ella solidly shut down him bringing one of his tablets to work on for one of his many stupid (but sadly useful) projects. Instead he's probably thinking a mile a minute in his head. ARGH! Why am I so attracted to-

Flash!

For once I'm glad Query acts so swiftly.

I've learned a lot fighting Aurora over the years. In many ways she's the absolute worst pokémon for me to face. Quad weakness is fine. That I can get around except hers is possibly the coldest ice in the world. She grew up in a world of ice after all. Even the smallest bit of her power can send my body into a lethargic coma. I toss myself back and up, already moving out of range of her Storm Defense.

I hate it.

Basically an ice hurricane centered around her that I can barely stick my neck into without huge losses of speed. Yeah. It sucks.

Luckily training with Sunny has gotten me some advantages of my own. Sunny Day and Sandstorm follow me around constantly now. The fire in my gut burns that much more merrily as I focus on boosting myself. Hone Claws and Swords Dance make my desire to descend into the storm even if I know it's futile.

Time to show off some of what I have just figured out.

Okay. Here's where I admit I've grown. And not in a way I like. Sort of. My favorite times are right in the middle of things. Claws flashing. Jaws crunching and the earth doing whatever the fuck I tell it to. Range is boring to me unless it sets up a definitive physical confrontation. Which is what I'm going to do to her but I've finally developed my own style. Ella talks endlessly about terrain control. Well here it goes. A move I thought worthless due to it not being in your face. Twister.

Most of my life has about getting someone up and close. Even my mastery of sandstorm was to maul someone with my claws and teeth. Firestorm is me no longer being stubborn. Growing or some sappy shit.

My twister forms, picking up all the sand around me and then I add to it. A fire blast crackles in my jaws and bursts into it, the Sunny Day keeping it nice and toasty as it feeds the energy of my massive attack. If I can't step into Aurora's defense I'll have her taste mine. Its not perfect yet, but against my best friend's rather stationary presence I don't need to be all that fast or accurate. Draco Meteors charge quickly, shooting down through the Firestorm and dragging heat and impact with them, blunting Aurora's hail and cold with explosions.

Did I mention my Draco Meteors are hotter than Mars doing his moltres impression? No? Well Aurora certainly feels it from how quickly her Storm Defense seems to be wilting away. Of course, I get cocky at my first visible success against her in years and don't notice she's just condensing her power.

Hyper Beam hurts. Refrigerated Hyper Beam almost knocks me out in one hit. She's never actually had to use it on me before. Which is fucking grating on my pride. The only reason I don't pass out is because I've kept my inner fire constantly pumping out power. Flames flow between my jaws as I ready a flamethrower at all times specifically for this. I burn myself to keep myself from being frozen. And maybe I panicked and used Endure. Maybe.

I still hit the ground in loads of pain, but that's fine. It means I'm not out. I dip into the earth and start on my second trick. This is already killing my reserves faster than anything I've done since dear old dad. Its fantastic. Earthquake shatters the land and I imagine the curses Sis is saying as it ruins everything in hundreds of feet. I really hope Angel isn't picking up on how I'm cackling in glee about the destruction. Ella tends to get a bit cross if I'm 'encouraged' by 'city block killer' moves.

Whatever. I'm sure Aurora is setting up stealth rocks and hovering in mid-air with Magnet Rise but fuck that. She won't expect this. I cavern the area around me and start breathing out Fire Blasts over and over. The holes I've made with my quake let in air and I don't stop until everything is cherry red and even my body is hating the heat. More cackles as my eyes look over the near molten stone I've made.

Draco Meteors spring _from_ the ground up and each are the size of small cars. Why? Its fucking hard to pull the meteors from nothing in the sky. Its why Mars' Ancient Power Draco Meteor attack is such bullshit. Sure. I can do that with Stealth Rocks now but...Anyway.

I find out later that Sunny, Momma, Query and Angle all have to divert a lot of energy from some of my meteors accidentally going towards the Den. Ella was pissed but Momma just gave me the proudest look later. The attack is large enough that I'm not worried about it missing Aurora completely. I'm very drained from the move but I take time to peek my head out and see the result while recovering,

Yep. The whole place is wrecked. Splendid. As is what my attacks should look like. Aurora's Storm Defense only has hail up so I must have gotten a few hits. I duck up and out of the ground to dodge Stealth Rocks and breathe upwards at the huge amount of Powder Snow that appears above me without warning. So much BS. I have what I need though. She's so fucking good at making sure each attack doesn't give me an origin point but I learned a move from Sunny for just this fight.

Swift gives me a target and I commit. Ella always complains that a lot of our fights don't end in one super effective move like she expected at times. How about this then beloved sister?

Iron Dragon Blitz. Yeah Mars. Now I've got a move I'm not supposed to know. My skull turns silver as Iron Head protects it from the Hail as I burst forward, tossing my body at the highest speed I'm capable of. Draconic energy hovers just under the surface, converting into the fire that surrounds my form. It hurts the steel attack I'm channeling a bit but it is also making it that much more deadly when it hits.

Another of those Ice Hyper Beams comes and I snicker as I accelerate. See. The me that is charging straight at her? That's a double team. I'm still underground….And she's recharging. What? I'm faster in the earth. Sand Veil doesn't just work in sandstorms. And how does it make me evasive? I'm speedier. Just a bit.

I burst from the ground under where the swift was near, burning and in pain but its worth it hearing my best friend 'eep' in surprise. She can't move away fast enough and I'm running so hot I can't even feel the uncomfortable amount of cold she's got hovering around her, invisible.

The moment I know I'm going to hit I force myself to channel everything on one point, Laser Focus making this all or nothing. The crash is horrendous and I take Aurora up into the sky with me, flexing my muscles to drag her stealth rocks into her as she loses concentration from the impact. Its a common joke with me but my head _is_ the hardest part of my body. It has to be to swim through the earth as I do.

I would feel guilty for how hard I hit her in most cases because its obvious to me she's out of it moments into my attack as the fire explodes from my blitz and expands in scope from the draconic aspect of it. No wonder this is Mars' favorite attack to end a fight. I would feel guilty. But. Five fucking years of losses.

She collapses and I can barely keep her from crashing to the earth. Look. I might be a bad ass but I did purposefully take a lot of damage myself to keep my temperature up. I know I'll get better at this in time….But honestly all I can think...No. Feel. All I can feel is being complete. My best friend can destroy me still but I know how to defeat her now. Defeat weakness. Ella tells me often that its not weakness to fall to such a huge disadvantage but as much as she understands pokémon and me she can still be pretty stupid.

Query and Angel help me get Aurora down as I gaze over at my sister. She just doesn't get it. Pride isn't some silly thing to me. That needs to be tempered. It _is_ me. And my pride could not and will not accept that there is something I can't eventually defeat. Honestly. She taught me that lesson early. That time and effort can overcome everything.

My eyes go over my family. Wattson has gotten Sunny, Angel and Tru(wow) to cheer for me a bit. Tass simply send one of his tassles skyward as if giving me a thumb's up. Query is sighing. I think. Its weird cause he almost never opens his mouth but the way he's already going to smooth out some of the damage is fucking annoying. Its a sigh. I know it is.

Bri's response actually touches me a bit. She might be a lot more mellow but she's still got more pride than anyone but me. And since I'm talking about how pride matters, the way she bows respectfully may or may not get me a little misty. She understands exactly what this means.

Joker nods once. Huh. Okay. Acceptable from him.

Mars though. Well. He just stares at me and gives me a slow smile. Fuck. Okay. Shit. Is this what blushing feels like? I...fine I like it.

Right. Moving away from that. Sis.

A hand moves over my claw and up along my side as I stare down at my partner.

"You did it. I knew you could. Of course I should have expected you to destroy Momma's home." Next to her, Momma, just preens at the words. When did I get so bigger than her?

"_Hah. Of course I did. Mind waking Aurora up? Got some things to say."_ Ella may not get my pride, but she always roots for me. Is always beside me. Pride doesn't mean I view others as less. Never. Well. Not for a while. I could crush Ella's body, but her spirit is stronger than mine I think. I know her patience is. Momma continues cackling a bit. Huh. So that's where I got that laugh. Good to know.

Angel and Tru come over to help Ella revive our ice dinosaur. I'm _sure_ she won't be mad at her loss. Despite her skill, Aurora isn't all that happy to fight compared to pretty much everyone else. She'll do it readily to protect us or on missions but we all know she fights purely for us. To protect us. Not for any power gain for herself.

That said, she's beat me straight since she evolved for years. If she has time to set up Aurora can bring the most widespread destruction. And fuck that ice hyper beam. Lack of ambition is not lack of effort.

Aurora gets up slowly, her struggle helped a bit as I put my body against hers, us two giants on the team have to stick together after all. _"There you go bestie. How's it feel on the other side of this story?_" Okay. I might have just a bit of a smug tone.

"_Its odd my friend. I don't recall having such a large smirk on my face at any time though."_ Okay. Maybe a lot of smugness.

"_Shut up. This is big for me. No...Hard feeli-Look. I love you. Thank you. This drove me to be better. You know how much that means to me."_ I'm ignoring you Ella. That face you have on and the gleam in your one stupid eye means I'm getting teased for this later doesn't it? Fuck you.

"_Its the only thing that kept me from stopping….I...did not like seeing how hurt I made you everytime."_ Shit. Right. I should have know that. That she would ignore her own feelings to help me. Right. Uhm.

"_Well. I guess. Sorry? Sorta? I'm horrible at this. Ah. I owe you one?"_ Oh no. Now Aurora's got a gleam in her eyes. And the way her sails are twitching. Shit shit shit. No. Suck it up. Its an easy price to pay compared to what I've gained.

Ice has no sway over me anymore.

Fuck yeah.

"_Child. Done. Good. Get out."_

Damnit Momma.

* * *

Guardian

Zaela's fight was impressive. And showed a lot of her growth. Tactics with her has always been a work in progress. Other then letting herself get cocky by her new ranged attack, she showed remarkable patience. Before she mastered fire she really just didn't have the tools to blunt Aurora's excellent defenses. For all her bulk, Aurora isn't overly physically strong. Thus making it almost impossible to hit her from range with her two four times weaknesses was...rough on my starter.

Aurora is a good sport about it though. I found out later that she'd planned out a menu for Zaela's eventual defeat of her over a year ago and had Angel teleport ahead to Mom's to start up the food. Most of my family are fairly good at table manners but Aurora knew exactly what her best friend would need.

Momma actually comes with us despite her usual abruptness. Its fun to see how the Den reacts. I haven't been to my former home much in the last five years. Far too busy. Its interesting to see how people react to my team. The two garchomp alone would have people staring as Momma and Zaela were the only in the Den save the random, very rare trainer who would come in with one.

"_Mom? Why is everyone staring?_"

"Caus-"

"_Sunny, this what you call the badass walk. Glare at everyone until they look away and puff out your chest. And make 'pow' noises as you point your ribbons as if you were shooting moonblasts"_

"_But my moonblasts go 'wheeeeeee' not 'pow'" _Nevertheless she does indeed start doing as Tass directs. No one really notices as they're still staring at the more...Intimidating mons of my group.

"_...Tass. I will remind you that I can punch you physically if I like."_

"_Sorry Tru. But I mean really. Aren't you tempted just a bit? Look at your boy toy."_

"_Yeah! Ungh! See these muscles? Nnn! I'm the manliest! Come on Joker! Show off your-...where did he go?"_

Tru's paw goes over her face and I'm pretty sure she's counting to ten.

"_Heh. He's a joltik on my back. You know how he is in crowds Thunderbug." _Zaela's voice is still full of the smug. I don't blame her though. Not one bit.

"Honestly Wattson. You're a dad. Try not to make Tru's fur go gray more than your kids do."

Tru gives me a high five cause I've got her back.

"_Psh. Whatever. I'm great. C'mon Sunny. Lets leave these losers and race to Momma Mita's place!"_

"_Yay! No hitting yourself with lightning!"_

"_Aw. Fine." _And off they go. The Den calms a bit, though Bri shows she's not fully mellow from how she's making sure her shiny self is reflecting the sun perfectly. Mars, sensing possible annoyance just takes off, heading after Wattson and Sunny.

"_Hmph. Honestly. For such an intelligent mon, our dear Mars is far too shy at times. Live it! Look at how they admire us Query. You don't seem to care."_

"_What? Oh. Not really Bri. I actually don't care. I'm trying to decide if Fantasy is going to go through a world upheaval. Something about a giant dragon destroying everything for no reason. Maybe I'll call it Cataclysm."_

Now its my turn to slap my palm against my forehead. "Please don't."

"_Just because you don't have great memories of a totally not stolen idea doesn't mean I can't make it great."_

"_Angel, if you would take me to Hannah's place, I think I should make sure that Wattson doesn't add anything to the meal."_

A picture of Angel hugging Aurora precedes her doing that in reality and they pop away. Query and Tru remain quiet as I move to Momma, the smile that's been on my face the entire time widening.

"Thank you Momma. For giving me the greatest gift I've ever been given." Dragons aren't very mushy, but the way her aura sings at my words pushes me all the way into mush. I'm not ashamed at all.

"_Other daughter. Welcome. Gift to me. Family."_ So I hug her of course and she carefully lifts me up to ride on her back. Zaela simply chuckles as my family heads to celebrate.

The feast is everything we needed. Its been so many years of constant work. Sure, there have been time for small breaks or side projects but in addition to our usual crazy amounts of training there were emergencies, true battles and the pressure of my dream crushing down on us with its responsibility. I'm blessed to have such a loyal family who has kept up with me the entire time.

Aurora's meal for Momma and Zaela were an entire cow haunch each, cooked underground overnight. I guess she had a feeling that she'd lose. Huh. The rest of us had other meats in a huge cookout that most of Mom's team helped heat up. It was a heavy, delicious meal that had all of our favorites. My ice dinosaur knew what this victory meant and perhaps she was giving us all a proper meal before the last member of our team came along.

Its so weird to think of that. I've known she's been coming for ages and now its finally so close.

Halfway through the party, which is only really for our family Dad comes in. Its been about a year and a half or so since I've seen him physically and he's...Not overly well. Genius can destroy people. Rina for instance. The moment my gaunt, shabby father comes in with his almost absent emotions my single eye widens at my Mom who just sighs and looks away.

Its...Not my business. Right? Mom is responsible and is probably doing all she can but…

I put down a sleeping Sunny gently and fix a plate of dad's favorites and hand it to him. He barely notices it as he was heading to a drawer, fishing out some small tool that I have no clue what it does.

"Oh. Hello Ella. Thank you." Absently he starts eating, the tool casually placed in his mashed potatoes as if it were a spoon. Bare fingers are stained immediately as he chomps down woodenly. He turns to move from the room and I just stare. What.

Normally I'd be more proactive. But I can't feel him. I know he's alive but emotion is how I detect people these days over my other senses practically. Years upon years of seeing people by their spirit and now my dad is almost dead to it. Mom appears at my side and gently starts to guide me out of the room. Tru stands to follow me, sensing my shock. Angel notices as well but she stays to keep everyone distracted. This is Zaela's night after all.

We leave the giant garage that can fit all of Mom's team as well as mine to my bedroom. Idly I look about, letting Tru draw me to sit down as I struggle to keep calm. Tru's sending me good vibes and all that but it barely registers. "...mom?" Its weird hearing my voice break. First Guardian Mita isn't here right now. Ella needs her mother.

"You know what's wrong. Or would if you would think clearly." She sounds cold, but her emotions are just….Sad. Resigned. "He's always been absent minded to an extent. Its been getting worse for years. You've seen that...But...Well." Now she looks away and I can sense quite blatantly that she doesn't want to tell me more.

"...its irritating I'm sure, but I can feel you Mom." Muttering under her breath is her first response. Tru takes my hand in her paws and leans her head against my shoulder, her heart wrapping itself around me.

"Your father...Has been worse and worse since you left. You...Cannot blame yourself. If anything you should admire how hard he fought to be here as much as he could. Treatments have gotten us only so far. Psychic pokémon and various drugs...Everything. You also know why I haven't told you." Her eyes finally latch onto me, her emotions roiling with regret and a hint of fear.

"Because of what I've been doing. You didn't want me to worry." Ouch. I didn't know my voice could be so dead. I'm furious. So so angry. I understand it completely. I'd do the same if she were in my shoes. If she were responsible for such ambitious group like the Guardians. She saw how busy I was. Every time she visited it was a huge struggle to find time for her. Guilt ate at me.

Not now though. She must have known how he and I drifted apart and there is an _actual_ reason!

Tru's touch snaps me out of the decision to yell at Mom. My mouth was half open but like she's trained for years to do she pulls my aura to touch my Mom's. To see how afraid she is and how unsure. That stops me pretty hard.

Mom lives with him. Has seen him deteriorate everyday. And...I can feel how she loves him. What must he have been like to get Hannah Mita to love him? She only loves fiercely. Fuck.

Its been years since I've cried hard but its happening now. Mom joins in with me, wrapping herself around me like Tru is already. How could I not see this? Was I so intensely focused on my own life that I didn't even consider Dad's issues?

Mom must use her mother powers to see it on my face cause her hands, rough and calloused, come up to pull my cheek to face her. Mom's so beautiful. Strong. Its hard to see her this upset.

"Listen to me daughter. Do not feel guilt. Do not let yourself blame it on anything. I did my best to shield you from this and your father as well when he is...more lucid. Parents protect their children, even if their child so extraordinary. We've, both of us, always supported your dream with all of our ability. Always. Your father...He..He's not going to be here for very much longer. But...even now he's working on something for _you_. Always for you Ella. Always."

Truth in her words shatters my barriers more and I just sob into her chest, not realizing how much I needed to hear this. Of course I'm also just a bit...Ashamed. First Guardian Mita bawling her eyes out. What would my guardians say? I won't go into this much more journal-kun but...Lets just say we stay there for a long night. Angel runs interference for me with Zaela but it doesn't matter hugely.

Momma and her go out and headbutt each other in some odd test of skill that causes loud, obnoxious noises. This continues for hours, likely with Query joining with metal clangs starting later. My night is of my Mom telling me of all that she and Dad hid.

We don't really sleep much, but when we do its curled up on my bed, Tru on the floor guarding our rest. I know journal-kun. This might sound like I need it and that its natural...But the sad part is, I honestly do _not_ have the time to deal with such matters. A few dates here and there? Fine. The only people I could date are in the Foundry. Mom has repeatedly told me she won't be moving there and...from the way dad is? He wouldn't be coming either. I'm a horrible daughter. Tru, my guiding beacon, tries to draw that feeling away as I twist and turn myself to sleep.

Its nice of her, but I made this choice. Long ago. Be something more at the cost of myself and others. The first hint of that was our dear Thunderbug and his first trainer. Joker, Angel and Tass paid more. But that's fine. I've accepted that their lives were their own. My father is going to die. Everyone does. He's just going a bit faster than others.

The next morning is a bit more information. The technical and _sanitary_ ways of telling me how my father's mind is shorting itself out or some shit I don't get. Most of my pokémon pick up on my mood but Query, bless him, takes them out to cause trouble in the Den. Zaela gets into it immediately, demanding she get to be a bully to all those snots she defeated as a gible and gabite. Angel stays this time to help ease my burden and I spend a lot of the morning with her arms around me.

Time is not a luxury I have either and soon its time to leave but Mom insists on taking me to Dad's workshop before I vanish.

"I know you've been busy. Ridiculously so. All of this was going to be given once you started in Kanto. But since you are here and you know now...Well." Mom's tone turns oddly proud and again I'm struck by how much she's holding in. How did she hide that deep pit of worry and sadness about Dad from me? Then again, she's always been able to hyper focus better than Query at times, or so it seems.

Dad's lab is its own separate building of two stories these days. Huge power generators take up most of the space and I'm reminded again that its a good thing we Mitas are wealthy from how much this all must cost. The only place I've seen more impressive tech is in Samuel's lab or at Devon Corp. Gleaming silver equipment greets me as Mom draws me toward what appears to be a large storage locker.

With a fond sort of sigh, Mom speaks at the locker. "...Hannah's smile destroys my calm." My eye widens a bit as the locker starts to move, swallowed by the wall and exposing stairs downwards. Mom gives me a _look_ that tells me not to ask where that password came from and I follow her down more silver walls, the stairs leading down at least three levels. There are paths away from the stairwell but she ignores them, her aura pulsing pride and anticipation.

Eventually we come to the bottom, I assume, as my aura sight only really lets me see through walls if there is a life sign on the other side that kind of pulses energy. Two giant double doors greet me and she waves her hand forward. "Say your name daughter."

"Ella Greta Mita" Yes journal-kun. Greta. Its a family name. Shut up. The double doors slide open, shifting into the walls adjacent to them and what's exposed is breathtaking. My father is a genius. I've said it before but I haven't quantified it really. There is no field of research or science that he could not be an expert on if he set his mind to it. The world of pokémon is so odd. Dizzying heights of science and ridiculously simple ideas wrapped in one.

Thirty or so distinct projects are completed here in this vault for me. My eye burns with tears again as I realize just how much my father loves me and how badly I misjudged him. Some kind of aura reader I am.

"The first one is this, daughter." Mom steps forward, letting me follow as she comes to a suit of armor. Its not the type you'd see in a Marvel movie or such but more akin to leather armor in a D&D, excuse me, Fantasy game that Query would run. Its weaved in what appears to be dragon scales with metal plates at areas that my body wouldn't be stretching as much. Closer inspection shows me they aren't actual scales but damned if they don't look very much like them. Each metal segment protects the chest, shoulder and joints like you'd expect from such armor. The typical Dragon's Den cape is attached to the back of the suit but appears to be some sort of mesh weave. The gauntlets are slim and made of segments of the same metal as do the boots. A helmet that looks very much like a dragoon's helm from Final Fantasy is clutched under one of the arms. The belt is full of various pouches and a quarterstaff of the same gleaming metal is steady in the other hand.

"Reminder, play project 1-A presentation." Mom's voice snaps me out of my slight daze. Reminder, the porygon that volunteered to become my dad's pokémon buzzes out an affirmative from a console nearby and dad's image plays on a screen next to the armor, set on its display.

"Hey there Ella. So...This will be odd. You're six now and completely out of my idea of what a child would be. Its bizzare to me that I just cannot quantify what you mean." There is a pause as he seems to focus, the clarity in his eyes making me sad as images I had forgotten or purposefully pushed aside pass through my head. Of days when he was _here_ and so very present. "That's why I love you. More than anything. Your mother can speak with you so easily and admittedly I'm somewhat jealous of it. There is so much of you in her but the parts of you that I recognize are a part of me bring me to ruin. At least in terms of being able to concentrate on anything else."

Sitting back in the chair he's in, he smiles and pushes his hair out of his face, sighing and shaking his head at me. Or so it seems, recording or not. "Your mother had that affect on me too. So vibrant and out of my expectations. Communication is so...Tedious for me. My mind goes a mind a minute but what we share in common is the overriding desire to accomplish something. The best part of you in that regards is that you can focus on one while I cannot seem to do anything but think about all of mine. Luckily, right now and until I am done, my goal is you."

My father smiles then, for once letting his visage relax from the almost manic way he can get when an idea directs his attention. "I am not very good with most pokémon while you and your mother can tame almost anything. When your mother decided I was hers I couldn't argue with something that made me _feel_ so right. It was the first time that something that didn't make sense to me refused to adhere to logic. Rather than be crushed by such an inconsistency I grew to enjoy it and love it. The second time this happened is the moment I set eyes on you."

The gaze of my father moves away from focus as he remembers something, the pause in his words making me reach out to take Mom's hand as Angel grips my other. "Ella. My daughter. You are going to change the world. Its inevitable. I'm aware now that I likely won't be there to see all of that. Your mother doesn't know the news I've gotten about this...issue but she will later today. She knows something is wrong of course but not what exactly. Its solidified my decision to stop all work save for what I am most passionate about in this world. Again, you."

My eyes snap to my mother for a moment as she just sighs and looks away, her emotions dropping hard. Angel, in a move I would normally say would be suicidal, hugs my mother tightly and starts pulling all of her love around us both. Mom stiffens a bit but crumbles under Angel's pure empathy. Me? I'm coming to terms with the fact that my dad adored me. Beyond measure. He was just poor and showing it and I was a little shit for not trying to look deeper. I never tried touching him with aura in an invasive manner in fear he felt nothing for me.

"I'm rambling but I am allowed to. Mad scientists do it all the time! Hannah is already talking about how impressive your pokémon will be but its you I worry about. Danger will find you and you'll go out looking for it at the same time. Aura is maddeningly unsympathetic to my tests so I'm falling back on what I can do myself. The first and cornerstone of this is the Aegis Armor. Rename it as you will, but I want you to be as durable as your starter. Hannah got your starter's dame to donate a few scales and I've studied them to develop a new type of material that should stand up to incredible amounts of damage, human or pokémon driven alike. It shared a few weaknesses of the typing I based it after but I've given you a cape that will do well against those weaknesses. I'm sure I don't have to tell you what those might be."

There is a pause now as he holds up what must have been a prototype of the gauntlets that are on the armor. The recording continues along in his usual thread of thought, explaining in detail everything about the armor. The gloves can magnetically pull pokéballs to them as well as direct electric attacks from lightning rod inspired capacitors in the metal portions of the armor. The belt has a micro computer able to keep a porygon fully functioning to provide me with cyber warfare anywhere I might go. The boots ground me if the capacitors for the gauntlets fail. The helmet has a HUD that any gamer might dream of with all sorts of useful information as well as a way for the suit's porygon to communicate with me silently. My quarterstaff extends and retracts at a speed any Monkey King would enjoy and makes use of the gauntlets to snap back into my grip. All this and more humble me with the effort my father went into this _first_ project.

From there I ruin my schedule for the day as I go through the rest of my Dad's gifts. Everything from better ways to power options for an underground base, saddles that make use of expansion storage to wrap fliers in their own sources of limited armor, plans for new bases including one that would make Hunter J stupendously jealous and so much more. Ways to easily find evolution stones as well as the horribly well guarded secrets to create steel coats, reaper cloths and all the other ridiculously expensive evolution items. Improved food production methods show me even botany wasn't out of his reach. Many projects are so purely practical that Aurelia will probably have a heart attack with joy. Some displays are not complete or fully realized but they all have their main issues dealt with. They simply need to be produced. Project 18-C is probably my first goal and will have Rose salivating to implement it. Dart guns that fire potions, ethers and even revives. Koga will appreciate some of the survival gear as well as the lesser version of my Aegis Armor that can easily be re-purposed for covert duties.

Mom remains silent for the most part, watching my world view shift in regards to dad. I don't question why he didn't show me this before. I get it to an extent. I needed to prove I had the capacity to become strong myself. He _knew_ I would but I had to get there on my own feet. Only now, that its going to become dangerous beyond measure striking at Team Rocket's heart in Kanto would he reveal all that this could mean. Plus, frankly, all of this will be a horrible surprise for them that I salivate at, even while I'm dealing with how off balance the last day has made me.

"Thank you father." My words are so pathetic compared to this. All of this. I can only reaffirm that everything he's given me will be used as he wished. To protect my dream.

"I'll have these all teleported over to the Foundry over the next few days. He's got one last project he's working on. Its all he can really concentrate on without direct interference. Honestly, he doesn't even remember about the vault really." We're both a bit numb to the emotions now which makes me feel guilty for being relieved. Fuck. There's going to be a lot of that in the future for me. Must not turn emo and whiny. Right. Angel gives me thumbs up and an image of her kicking me in the behind with my face having a dark look on it. Yes. I get it. You'll keep me sane. Right.

"Right..Is...it cowardly if I say I don't want to see him right now?" I've never been afraid of asking my mom anything. Living with aura all of this life makes bullshit and lying almost impossible for me but self delusion and guilt can be utterly destructive to my sense of self. I feel more even from myself and especially can be drawn by others' feelings.

"No. You've just seen what he was. What he should be remembered as. The brilliant man who impressed me all those years ago in a way I didn't expect. Who as I told you, even when you didn't believe me, lived to find you precious." At this Hannah Mita smiles and its a good one. We make our way up and out of my father's gift a bit lighter than before we entered. I can sense Dad's aura in one of the rooms we pass on the stairs.

Sadly, to me? That's seeing him as if he were right in front of me. He's dying. I can feel it. Angel can as well but we both agree to let my Mom lean on me for once. So, eating my pain, I smile and talk of all that he left for me. Mother takes the distraction well, always happy to find ways to make sure the world can't take me away like it is her husband.

The flight back is long. Angel could have ported me sure, but I needed to talk with Mars. Each of my family is close to me in deeper ways these days of course but when I need an emotional problem worked out I turn to Mars and Query first. Angel and Tru are great support in the long term but to really punch an issue in the face I turn to my boy and son.

Its not weird anymore to think of some of my mons as children anymore note. Not gonna touch that thought with how I'm feeling now though. Explaining everything that happened to Mars is calming in the evening light. I'd already sent note that I'd be late to the Foundry due to personal issues and resigned myself to a lot of extra work early the next morning. The Foundry is _very _self-sufficient but with the upcoming expansion into Kanto there are a lot of things I have to pay attention to. Koga will probably reek of annoyance at any delay so huzzah for caffeine and all that.

"_So grandfather will pass. I am sorry mother. It is natural but I know it will be hard for you. Still, such a gift. A life's work for you. Do not feel guilty as I know you must. You are not perfect. That is a truth of everyone. If you must feel something, seek to be grateful as I do always for how much effort you put forth for myself and the rest of the family." _Mars. Fuck. He's come such a long way from the odd loner and silent genius of the group.

"I do feel that, among other things. Okay mostly the negative. I just...I feel like I need to offset this and seek to find balance. Tru probably could guide me more there but I wonder if you had an idea of what to start on first of all the projects he left me?"

"_Personally I think the airship. At least three of them. Two public and one secret. The Foundry is a great base and the security is excellent but again, nothing is perfect. I'd place one airship far away from most major areas and move it constantly. The other two would become visible power for the Order."_

Yeah. Ambition is something I've passed onto my team in droves.

"_That's the long term project though. Short term I'd implement the healing darts as you noted and the 'Superfruit' that makes use of carbos, proteins, etc. Combine that with the aura that is saturating the Foundry and it will pay off rather quickly I think. Do you know how nasty those things taste? If the fruit is as good as is suggested it would be such a boon. Pokémon are ruled by simple desires for the most part after all."_

The flight home is filled with planning and implementation. All in all its a great distraction from what I don't want to face just yet. Tomorrow after I'm done with the last bit of my work we're off to face a legend. I've given myself a week off to train the last member of my team and the Foundry will be without its First Guardian for the longest time since the one and only conference I've taken part in.

Sadly, or not so sadly, the night didn't end when I got home.

Much of what we've built is hidden away in Charicific Valley by telepathic trickery. The Foundry is mostly underground but so many of our pokémon require water or sky to properly train. Thus, the Guardian of Arts is in charge of said trickery to make certain anyone passing by only sees charizard fighting above ground. There are massive training areas and even a large arena deep within the Foundry but to train as we must in emergency situations the skies have to be open to us.

Rina has gotten over her dependency on me for a while but she always holds me as the center of some of her emotions. Its hard to describe. There is an anticipation about her when we're around each other. She's refused to tell me what it is when I point blank asked her but the grin on her face (and what an amazing smile it is to see these days compared to be fore) tells me it isn't anything I should be worried about. Probably.

One of her habits that hasn't change is waiting up for me if I'm away from the Foundry. I'm so mentally drained from my day that I don't guard my thoughts or emotions properly and I can feel her concern from quite the distance away as Mars wings over the Valley. Sighing a bit at the thought of the conversation I'm in for, I try to calm myself as my son takes us into one of the cave entrances on a cliff face. The door hidden within opens immediately and I smile despite myself.

"Hello there Prime. Do let Rina know she can come worry over me after I've taken a shower at the very least."

The neutral digital voice that comes from a nearby speaker is full of amusement. Prime too has come far from when he first came into being. _"Yes First Guardian. Worrywort Rina alerted. Shall I redirect the Guardian of Home as well? She's marching in what the Guardian of Knowledge calls a 'working walk' towards your room at this very moment."_

Sighing a bit, I nod, trusting that Prime has a camera nearby to view it. "Please. Tell her that my mother will be by tomorrow to explain a bit more of why I'm not to be reached for a bit. Also, ask her kindly for me to keep me in her prayers. I expect she'll back off then."

I could just message her through one of our communicators but frankly I don't want to talk to anyone but my family right now. Even Rina I don't particularly wish to speak with but she'd just worry herself spare if I didn't at least give her a bit of information. Even now, late as it is, the Foundry is alive. As I'm speaking to Prime and heading to the nearest elevator, a few of the Foundry's population are moving about. It truly is almost a city down here. I get a fair amount of nods and some salutes from the few Guardians that pass me by. For ever Guardian there are quite a few support people whether for their gear, training, and food to their direct family if they have any. And all of them know me and my team.

At one point I would have disliked all the attention but I've long since taken on the mantle of leadership as one more blah thing I have to deal with. Don't get me wrong, there is a certain satisfaction and pride in it, but it definitely sucks knowing that I'm going to be sending a lot of people into vicious battle. Do I think Team Rocket stands a chance? No. But I'm frankly more concerned about how possible war will harm people's minds. I'm a bit skewed in that regards. Its easy for me to hate someone I can tell is scum with aura. There is less certainty in most of the Guardians...But this is all for later. Blah. I'm thinking too hard about things. Right. Last member tomorrow. I can't wait to meet her.

"_The Guardian of Home sends her sympathies and says 'I'll keep things settled until you get back. Don't worry about your dullard work. Liza can handle most of it and I'll get stick in the mud to deal with the more delicate things until you get back.' There are other things to note, First Guardian, but none are worthy of true concern. I'll forward all of it to your personal computer. My condolences on your father. Reminder shared his condition some time ago but classified it as private until you were aware."_

"Thank you Prime. I do appreciate your tact compared to what it was before." Dark amusement here from memories of Prime having absolutely no filter about some of the things it would see in the cameras all about the Foundry. Some people could get lusty at times and forget our resident Guardian of Vision. I mean its in the fucking title though. "Prime? I do have one thing to ask. Find me a personal Porygon-z. Send Reminder the words 'Unexpected Legacy' and he'll let you in on what I'm assuming will have you squeeing."

"_Squeeing? Searching. Interesting. I do not think I am capable of making such a noise. Still, you have introduced many illogical habits that my kind have taken up. Very well. Have a good night First Guardian. I'll keep Home safe."_

Something about our all seeing eye watching out for us is beyond comforting. I guess a lot of people would find that creepy but Prime was born to protect the Foundry. No really. That's what it wanted the moment it could truly think for itself. Query is convinced of Prime's loyalty so I trust Prime completely. Query would never let anything harm me or my dream.

My home is pretty large compared to most of the Guardian's places and is situated near one of the underground rivers that flows out of the Valley for Zaela and Bri to be able to get outside quicker than an elevator ride. I should note that all Foundry hallways are pretty large to accommodate all but the largest of pokémon but there are a lot of ways to adjust choke points with all the rock and ground types that the Guardians have gathered. Stone Edge is a pretty evil move in our city.

A big living space is needed for my team and my home is actually divided into rooms for each of my family along with a guest room for when anyone visits. The ping of my team releasing doesn't halt me as I head to the shower, knowing I don't have much time before Rina gets here. I'm a bit surprise she hasn't teleported in already.

Everyone has their own custom rooms save for Sunny and Angel who chose to share theirs. Its full of various plants and big fluffy things. Of my pokémon those two find their pastimes by interacting with others as opposed to the hobbies that many of my other family members have.

Bri's room is mostly just a giant pool along with a large amount of held items and such. She's the most likely to augment her strengths in different ways and she's taken over a bit of Aurora's chef duties in terms of making sure everyone gets the best nutrition. The 'superfruit' will be a favorite of hers. She also has an underwater tunnel to head out into the Valley.

Tass has the smallest room but its full of books on medicine, history novels and mysteries. Of everyone, Tass spends the most time alone with his thoughts. He's not as anti-social as he was in the past but he'll never be truly as casual as the rest of us.

Joker's room is covered in pictures of pokémon and has an interactive computer Mars designed to help his study of new forms to take. Its got a wall sized screen to give him ideas of scale and a rather large fridge. Joker has never gotten out of the habit of hoarding food. I got incredibly tired of finding his stashes around the apartment, hence his personal fridge. There is also a walk in closet for all the outfits Aurora has bought for him over the years. There are a lot.

Speaking of cold, Aurora's room is more or less a giant ice box with a vast screen similar to Joker's that she can control with a huge keyboard set into the floor for her feet. Its simple and has a near frozen pool for her to enjoy dipping in all the way up to her head if she so desires. The main room, hers, mine and Zaela's are all built to accommodate everyone's height.

Tru and Wattson's room is full of Wattson's efforts in creating new media as well as a link up to his porygon cohorts. Tru's area is smaller because she really just doesn't need as much. It consists of a place to meditate and has its own link up to her duties as my aide. Wattson also has a huge amount of toys that they have collected over the years for their children that Sunny often comes in to play with as well.

Query's room is half full of computers. He doesn't require sleep so much of his free time is having his various minds working on Fantasy or whatever our current goal might be. One fourth of his room is entirely dedicated to sculpting and the other is stacked to the ceiling with board games.

Zaela's room is a giant sand pit that has, like Bri's, a tunnel that heads into the Valley so she can train (Read: thrash) her subjects. Another huge tv runs across her wall. The only other thing of note is a rather large shelf of plushies and action figures of her various favorite monsters.

My room is a typical human living area. Bed. Boring furniture. A computer. Huzzah.

And finally, there is one large, empty room that is held in reserve for our last teammate.

"_Home! Yay! Come on Aurora, you get to be with me tonight cause I know how hard it is to take a loss. Don't worry. I've got mittens and a big blanket to keep me warm. So no getting out of being my snuggle pal! At least...I think you'll fit inside our room."_

"_Yeah, but who will keep her cold? Hmm Sunshine? You're so warm after all."_

"_Quiet Tass! You can't trick me about that again!"_

"_Hun, I'm going to get a snack. Mind getting a bath ready for me?" _Tru did spend a lot of time trying to keep the peace yesterday between Momma and Zaela. They like roughhousing.

"_Got it pretty girl. Oy! Mars! I need to borrow your flame for my beloved, beautiful, gorgeou-ow!" _Yep. I can hear the smack. Poor Wattson. Sorta.

"_I-Idiot! Not right now!"_

"_Got it. Tomorrow morning." _Alright. Not poor Wattson.

"_Query. Explain. Again. Mating. Confusing with so much talking."_ Oh Joker.

"_Heh. Look at him go. I notice Tru doesn't care about her snack anymore compared to smacking her mate. Joker. Don't talk to Query about mating. Listen to me! I'm the King after all." _This won't end well my dear Sister.

"_Yes. Because you have a mate. Right Zaela? Besides Tru and Wattson I'm the only one who has reproduced. Metagross may have gone to...the Dependant One, but they are growing well. Perhaps you should be worried as to why I sense Tasslehoff hiding in the shadow of your den." _I'm actually proud of Query there as he could have been a lot harsher about Mars.

"_What?! I'll fry that little bastard. Also fuck you Query."_

The comfort of my family bickering means a lot to me right now. I know they all know of what happened and perhaps are being just a little _too_ normal but I love them all the same. I come out Angel and Mars talking in that way of hers without her broadcasting to the group at large and the rest of my team off into their own places except for Query. My boy waits for me just outside my doorway with a hint of nervousness in his aura. Its also apparent in his voice.

"_Heart-voice? I know you are in pain. All that I am for you, if you need comfort. The Depe-Sabrina is coming and I know you don't want to speak to anyone. I can tell her to come back."_

Its very odd the dislike that Query has of Rina. The only beldum he's produced went to her. If he truly didn't like her surely he'd not trust her with his child, right?

"Query...I love you. But you know my mind well. What am I going to chose?"

The tone in his mental voice can best be described as a grumble. _"Very well. Just...Be careful heart-voice. I know you well as you said. __You are vulnerable right now." _Well. He's not wrong. Still, a bit of respect. These days I'm pretty fucking responsible.

"Fine. Message received. Hmph. I updated my bio for the character you wanted for the new arc by the way." There. That immediately distracts him as I wanted. Fantasy is heading into a new era after a giant plot twist and Query asked me to create an evil version of myself for the new faction he's introducing. My boy's metal ass is shown to me as he stomps his way into his room to create. I'm certain he's not fooled by my change of subject from the slightly apologetic feeling he's experiencing. Ah well. I guess its nice he worries?

The moment he's in his room there is a pulse of want to enter from the door. I send an affirmative back and Rina ports in and immediately hugs me. I'm doing this a lot today. I sigh.

"What's wrong Ella? Why are you so sad?" Rina has changed a lot but not so much in certain ways. She's still very reserved with people not in her immediate social circle. That's pretty much a universal trait among powerful psychics. Some of it is from pure need to keep unwanted thoughts out of their heads but a lot of it is because people who aren't psychic just can't understand. Psychic abilities are almost an otherworldly different sense that can't be easily understood unless you have it.

Or if you have a power that literally is about understanding. Aura. As if it were a big giant hint, most of the aura users trained here over the years have a lot of the psychics we brought in mooning over them. I don't know what I expected. A lot of fanfictions have aura users at odds with psychics from what I remember but honestly aura is like a balm to them. Just as it is to most things. A way to safely channel emotions that psychics usually have to shut off in fear of overloading their abilities. True, I could see how aura users who are enemies could fuck with psychics in earnest. I did a bit of that to Proton and a few others over the years. Made them off balance. Its not a pleasant experience.

But with positive motivations? Well. We have a lot of aura users in demand to help the people Rina's dad brought with him to the Order. They make good teams to be honest. Which brings us back to the girl worrying over me.

"Some bad news and a rather large mistake I made over and over. Rina, I appreciate this but I'm a bit drained. Mind if I talk to you about it some other time?" Sleep sounds fantastic.

Rina's face firms, her lips thinning as she pulls me to one of the comfy couches that was one of my first expenses in the apartment. Sitting me down she glares a bit at me before moving to the kitchen area adjacent to the living space. She dodges the clutter that comes with eleven pokémon living with me, mostly from Wattson and Sunny, to seek out my stash of hot chocolate. Its one of my few expensive vices. Preparing it takes but a moment as she heats it with her pyrokinesis. Its not one of her more powerful gifts but it certainly makes a great party trick.

"There are few people who actually stand up to you, do you know that? Even the Guardian Heads have a hard time telling you to stop in personal aspects. Can they disagree with you for the Order? Absolutely. But only Aurelia and myself tell you when to stop being so..so..You!" Grumbling a bit, she hands me the mug and sits next to me, crossing her legs and regarding me in the way I know means I'm going to get scolded just a bit.

Sabrina truly has changed. Its hard to listen to her right now as she rambles on about taking care of myself. She's saying something about how I shouldn't think my pokémon will take care of me as they are all training nuts because of how we grew together. Or that Aura can fix everything. Its difficult because I'm reflecting on how lovely she's become. How much _more_ she is. Such a dramatic contrast from my father. He's become lesser while Rina has flourished.

Dark purple hair trails to her waist, silky and without a strand out of place. Bright blue eyes that are animated, so concerned as she is with me. Idly I think that she had pink eyes in one of her versions and wonder how things can change so much. Soft lips and a perfect face are pouting at me as she realizes I'm not really listening. I don't often block her from reading my mind but right now I am. Damnit Query. He was right. I'm too vulnerable right now but its obvious how much I mean to her. Crap. I'm not starting this now but I can lean on her as my friend.

"Thanks Rina...I know you care." I let myself relax and lean into her, letting her arms pull around me again as she grumbles some more. Delicate fingers trail into my hair, massaging my scalp as I close my eye. Before I rest I can't help but think of the day I showed Rina the Foundry. When she showed me a hint of who she could be.

Years Past

Everything was going perfect other than a succeeding series of annoyed calls from Blue about the Conference end. Its only been a week and things had changed dramatically. All the contacts I got from Samuel and Professor Redwood have blown up with more professional prospects. The publicity was dramatic and impressive but I know I'm facing a long period of less exciting growth compared to my conference run.

Its glorious though. Watching the hive of activity in the Valley I await Rina. She'd gone to gather a few new teammates on my recommendation as well as to get her a bit less dependent on my presence. I can't be there for her always. Brightscales is coiled up next to me as we watch the rest of my team helping Rose set up another emergency exit from the base.

"_I must admit you have ambition, my trainer. Perhaps this place will be grand enough for me after all."_ You're talking some hot shit Bri but you're still making happy crooning noises as I rub your scales down. I'll ignore it though. I'm good like that.

"Its going to be home my pokémon...Okay that sounded weird."

"_Of course it did. You lack refinement. I blame your sister. She might be glorious in battle but she's a brute when it comes to displaying regal nature. A little to the left if you would."_ I really need to spend some one on one time with Tass and Bri I think. Joker is fine by himself and Angel pops up anywhere she likes and makes friends but my two newest family members need a bit more love. I'm about to give her a bit of snark when, speaking of her, Angel pops in with Rina.

"Welcome to the Foundry Rina. Did Angel find a new partner for you?" The slight grin and spike in happiness at my words tells me all I need to know. Angel sends me an image of Rina carefully letting a smaller than average ralts climb all over her. She pings me all the happy squeeing emotions she so readily finds when faced with something positive in front of her and then pops away, an image of bothering Mars as her goodbye.

Luck to her. Mars is deep within the Foundry setting up a server farm. That type of work gets him focused.

"She did. Thank you. I don't know why I never considered a ralts before. Perhaps I was shying away from anything emotion based. Its still very difficult to be around others. If anything my new self makes it even harder not to try and keep people away. For now. I lack control once more." That sounds plausible. And sad. Now that Rina accepts emotions again she can't help but draw context from the thoughts she picks up and feels them herself. Or the echoes of them anyway. Its not aura sensing as much as she has perfect recall of any instance she experienced similar things. I don't envy that when she plucks negative thoughts from someone's mind by accident.

My psychic recruit walks over as I continue pampering Bri who is now ignoring us to look over some of the gyarados getting into a brawl with some of my potential guardians. Its not serious as I can feel Bruno nearby, likely having them train in something or other. Still, the spike of interest in Bri's emotions tell me she's probably going to reassert her dominance over the native population of giant sea monsters here.

"I never got to raise one. Angel came to me after seeing us in her future. Fully evolved. I'm lucky to have her." Now why did Rina's feeling surge there? Considering she's still pretty mute to my senses emotionally that was a huge shock there. Curious.

"Oh...I see. That's pretty amazing. And...you accepted her just like that?" Humor comes to me then. Not malicious or to make fun of her but it is intensely cute when she asks questions like this. She described her newly reawakened emotions like tasting flavors you had forgotten but you _knew_ were favorites.

"Acceptance is easy with her admittedly. Don't worry Rina. I know you weren't well for some years. Whatever you might have been, don't let it stop you from becoming who you wish to be." Time to offer her a smile and nudge her a little. Of course Bri smacks me over the head with her tail lightly as I pause her royal treatment. "Oi. Important talk here!"

"_Have it after you are done. This is my time. Hmph."_

"Forgive her. She was born spoiled. So what do you want then? Or better yet, what can you see?" I figure she's got something now she's after. Rina surely wants to be a Guardian. That firmed up real quick when I broke her out of her shell but there's something else there right?

Gazing down at the Foundry, her fingers point. "That's where your next teammate will rest here mostly. And there is where Zaela will start a battle that will turn into some sort of monster brawl….That first night? I started seeing visions of the future. Brief glimpses of what will be." Turning to me I'm hit with more shock than just what her predictions mean. She's smiling brightly, her whole face pulling into joy and her emotions solidifying into steely determination. Its glorious to my senses and I'm struck again how beautiful she is.

"I wasn't able to see the future before Ella. You gave me back so much of myself but what's more? I gained something new. This is my home now." Bri doesn't complain as I stop this time. The three of us watch the future being built for the rest of the evening, sharing a small bit of simple pleasure.

Present

Yes, Rina has grown immensely. The perfect recall is mastered now. She able to empathize in a way that is unique compared to anything I can do. I can sense people as they let themselves become sad, joyous, angry or whatever but she _lives_ in her own emotions for those she cares for. Myself? Other people affect me if I allow it. For her? She turns off all filters to be there with someone. Which is why, here, as I drift off, I know she's utterly with me. Experiencing what I'm feeling so she can be closer to me.

How can I resist that?

Legendary Day

Waking up with my head in Rina's lap would normally have me a bit worried about giving her mixed signals or even if I'm allowing myself to be distracted but I decide to be selfish in this regards. I had already said I would before but its different deciding something like that and actually doing so. In my previous life I was shit at dealing with romance and its likely to continue here but then again I'm way, way braver in this world.

If her fingers still gently moving through my hair wasn't proof enough, Rina's voice makes sure I know she's awake. "Big day Ella. Up. Your team is already out in their daily warmups. Metagross even came to drag Query off for some more Psi-Fist training. They quite like their father. Still odd to me that Query is a 'he'. Metagross never seems to want to be anything but they."

She's distracting me from any sort of nervousness of today and I'm glad. This has been so long in the making. Am I worthy? Will my dream get the validation I feel it deserves? The Order needs its symbol.

Sitting up I sigh and start stretching, watching Rina as she starts to rise, likely to get us some food. Her clothes are rumpled and she looks a bit tired. Probably spent the whole night keeping herself content and calm with a memory so my aura would be soothed by it.

Damnit Query. My hand snatches up to tug on hers. "Wait...Uhm. Don't read my mind. No cheating. Please."

Am I doing this? No. Yes. Okay. A little. That's fine right? Right. No need to be worried. Yeah. Right.

"Hmm? Fine, but hurry up. I think from the way Tru was glancing at the clock you're already a bit late. Hah! As if you have a schedule or something. That's a bit amusing. Well, what is it Ella?" Slight concern there now. Which is warranted. I don't want to know what my face looks like.

"...Right. Right." Is this a tic of mine? Saying 'right' a lot? "So...I uh. Went out a few times with Rose. And it was nice...I suppose." Great fucking job Mita. Talk about another person when trying to confess interest. Grow a spine. Its not love at all yet. Just interest!

"Okay. I'm all awkward I know. Uhm. Just...It didn't mesh. Cause. You. I wanted to...See with you. What might happen." And now you're hiding under your hair. Eye closed? Yep? Open it up Ella. Now. Okay. She's staring. And looks pretty stupid with her mouth half open. Use the fucking spine Mita! There you go. Push her mouth closed. If this weren't a horrible train wreck I'd enjoy seeing and feeling her confusion right now.

"I. Well. Oh. You did? With Rose. I remember. Of course. But me? Me. Not her. I mean. Well! Uhm! I. I. Oh. I didn't...think. I mean I felt things. But you? With me. Right. That's..." Shaking her head, I can feel a bit of panic now combined with joy and a healthy dollop of fear wrapped fully by lack of stability. "I'm not saying no! But. Could I have time? I didn't expect. Oh my. I love you Ella. As a friend! Not to mean I couldn't as something else! But I didn't see this! In my visions! Not like imagination. Of course I might have imagined you as...That is. So! Time! When you come back from your trip? I'll let you know. Yes. If that's fine."

At least we're both fucking idiots. That makes me feel better right? I'll just ignore the idea that I might have ruined our friendship. Her aura is all over the place. Stop that Ella. Don't peek.

"That's fine. Sure...Sorry. Don't be pressured. If you don't feel similar we can go back to being friends...And forget this ever happened." Honestly, I'd be fine being eaten alive by a wailord right now. Rina more or less sees that and firms up again, putting her hands on my shoulders and kissing my forehead.

"I may be losing it a bit Ella but I know that. That said, I'm going to go isolate myself and figure this out. So uhm. Have a good trip?" Her courage runs out and she's gone in a flash of teleportation. My head smacks against my hand. Sure glad I didn't do this on one of the most important battles of my life. Yeeeep.

Moving forward some hours finds me calmer and carefully repressing that conversation until I get back in a week. A month or so ago I sent Angel to the usual spot where I make contact with Suicune or one of the other beasts. The date was set for my legendary. It feels weird that I have control over the meeting and that it will be the only one of my family that joins in the traditional way. Through battle.

Angel returned with an image of the location and here we are at Scarlet City at the southern end of Red Rock City. A massive Colosseum is my goal as I release Zaela. Angel returns herself with barely concealed glee at the possibility of new family and I climb up my starter. Already my heart is beating faster. I haven't felt like this since the conference. When I announced the Guardians to the world.

Zaela picks up on the feeling in the air and just smirks at me as she takes to the sky. Angel brought us out in a park with only a few people about. They hadn't yet paid attention to a trainer and her gardevoir but my fourteen foot tall garchomp makes quite the impression. When their concern turns to a bit of wonder at the symbol of the Silver Guardians on my shoulder I can't help but give a wave even as Zaela takes off. Her speed increases as we head to the Whirl Cup Colosseum.

The trip takes maybe a minute but every second feels like an age. Contemplation is my world as I think back to the gible who became my world. Zaela is about to face the largest challenge in her life and she's serenity about it. Myself? I can barely keep my hands from shaking. Its not so much fear of losing as it is that my dream won't match up to reality. We begin landing as I push aside my doubts, seeing the Guardian associated with this island waiting next to a older woman who I can already feel is overly nervous.

"First Guardian. Welcome. This is the administrator of the stadium, Marge Leland. Miss Leland, the leader of our order, First Guardian Mita." Zaela lets out a low welcome to the aggron standing next to Guardian Strickland. Boris Strickland is an interesting recruit. Already in his forties when he joined, he was very much ex-military in some manner he never made clear. While older, he mad it through all the trials quite handily and has become one of the best solo Guardians we have.

"H-hello Guardian Mita. When Boris here told me what your request was I didn't quite believe him. I still don't. The only reason I agreed is because of how important that pokémon is to the Whirl Islands. I was going to complain until..." The woman, probably in her mid fifties looks quite stressed. Dressed in practical clothing and wearing a sun blocking hat, she pulls it off to wipe her forehead from sweat I doubt is from the heat as its pretty nice out. "Frankly, Boris is the only reason I am allowing this to occur. If he hadn't been helping this island for these past three years so well I would have called league officials! Even if your opponent did show up voluntarily!"

Ignoring how Zaela and the aggron are roughhousing just a little bit in a way that suggest Boris' partner has been in a few Monster Mashes, I look out toward the ocean, nodding. "I understand Miss Leland. Believe me. Its a lot to take on faith. If it helps, you're welcome to record the battle. Regardless, since we are not talking to league officials, may we go in?"

Its an awkward walk into the stadium for sure. Marge's aura speaks of a bit of awe, nervousness and heaps of disbelief. Boris is a steady confidence and amusement. There is an ease to him that reminds me of Query. Utterly dependable. The Colosseum is exactly as it is in the anime. Full of water and large roman themed architecture. Its almost time. Nearly noon.

I release my team and they all take their place in the massive stands. Sunny chatters excitedly to Tru about something as Wattson sets up flags and banners with 'Go Zaela!' or such on it. Tass actually sticks near me, dipping into my shadow and sending out feelings of protectiveness. He doesn't like that we're getting yet another psychic and wants to make sure I'm safe. Its more than a little touching consider his usual abrasiveness.

Angel and Query head to opposing sides and go Mega, ready to bring up shields to keep the stadium intact from what is about to happen. Sunny will help as well when something particularly destructive is needed as despite their mega evolutions, my dear sylveon is still the best at shielding single target attacks. Joker came out as a pidgey of all things and is hopping about on Query's shoulder, likely ready to stand in the way of any huge psychic blast.

Mars stays next to Boris and Marge to keep them safe as well as to blatantly examine the video setup that the stadium has. Tru moves to help Wattson cheer. She's mellowed a lot in this regard over the years and gets into rooting for our family as much as Sunny and her mate does.

Finally Bri and Aurora are between the water and the closest way towards the nearby city. They'll be making sure that nothing causes a flood.

Zaela stands next to me. We say nothing, simply waiting for this last bit of what I bargained for all those years ago. My beloved sister is still so calm. I can't help bud admire her. Massive and powerful, she's clawed her way into being almost a legendary herself. Today we absolutely claim that title. My eyepatch is white and blue today. I'd had this patch made a while ago in hopes of what would occur here and now.

Then I feel her. Such massive aura. Suicune, Entei and Raikou were powerful in their own right but it was paltry compared to this. Even a mile out I can sense her presence as if she were right next to me. Zaela makes a surprised sound a few moments later and I look about. Everyone knows now. The presence pulls at us all. She's not visible at all until she chooses to come up from under the waves within the stadium.

The water parts without a splash as her wings spread wide. Pure white feathers glisten silver as deep blue flap-like protrusions from her back spread to give her greater control in the air. Her angular head raises to gaze at us as her song sings to our hearts. It makes me feel as if Angel could sing, so calming and beautiful is it to my senses. Her massive form is bigger even than Zaela's and practically screams of the power we can all fell. As the lugia in front of us comes to a rest on the small circular platform between where traditionally two trainers would face off here I can't help but smile. She's so pure and pleasant on my senses. My worries wash away in the presence of the Guardian of the Seas. Or at least, one of them.

"_Greetings Aura Guardian. And your friends. You certainly did make me wait a while! Even for my long lived species, five years is a notable bit of time." _Her voice is deep and rich, seeming of rolling, gentle waves that could wash away the world if she so wished. Her feathers are so fine that it looks as if she were already dry from being under the waves. _"The Whirl Islands are special to my kind. What better place to possibly become a trainer's pokémon than a stadium special to said islands?"_

"Forgive me. I did not think we were yet worthy enough to face you. Zaela here was always might but even she wasn't about to do anything but give you her very best." My sister is surprisingly absent of the need to posture and give off the usual draconic arrogance. Indeed, my whole team is not quite subdued as in careful wonder at the legend in front of us. "I'd love to get to know you better but as you said, we both have been waiting. My name is Ella Mita. This is Zaela. My sister and starter. We'll be your opponents today. It is an honor."

Lugia's eyes widen just a bit as I bow deeply to her. There is humor in her aura as well as a sharp curiosity that has me quite interested. Deep desire to join us is tempered by a strong sense of duty that I completely recognize. Its the same sense I get from my Guardians.

"_My name is simply Lugia. Perhaps you shall give me another if you can claim me. Ghost in her shadow. There is a method to this all I've heard of. State our names and titles to start this."_

Tasslehoff is not very happy about it but even he is affected by Lugia's weight on the world. Reluctantly he pulls out of my shadow and floats between Zaela, who steps forward in front of me, and the Diving Pokémon without his usual disdain.

"_This is a match? Fight?...Weird battle thing between Ella Mita, First Guardian and yeah, Lugia there. I guess Zaela is involved somehow too. Next time pick the lucario for these things if you want it done right." _Okay maybe he has the disdain in full. Still, he stiffens at the glare both Zaela and Lugia give him. _"Fine! Begin!"_

My thoughts go to Zaela. Of the moment when she hatched in front of me. To her evolution in front of Lance to again against Momma. The teasing jabs at each other. The burning drive we both share to grow stronger. My sister. My love. Everything for her as always.

The glow of evolution takes her again as the small necklace around her neck bursts with energy. Mega Zaela indeed. The first time she took this form it was all I could do to keep her from wrecking the entire Valley by challenging all its inhabitants at once. Lugia's aura is surprised and then deeply satisfied as my sister and she both take to the air at once.

Zaela in mega form pretty much gains strength in all areas except speed. Even her special attack comes up to something amazing. While her speed isn't increased she does become amazingly maneuverable. That's the only thing that keeps her from being swallowed by the near mountain of water that Lugia pulls with her into the sky. Tendrils the size of buses attempt to smack my sister form the sky in a combination of surf, psychic and all manner of pure power. Its beyond scary. Already I can feel Bri and Aurora preparing to contain the eventual backlash.

Zaela just radiates joy at the challenge and subverts a bit of the water enough to give her a clearer escape route then slams a hidden power into the water between her and the legendary to flash freeze it, blocking a psyshock that shatters it immediately. Swift attacks the size of small boulders crash into small draco meteors that Zaela has formed with ancient power, a move that garchomp usually can't learn, in the manner Mars has done for years. Maybe she got jealous of him learning draco meteor and stole one of his favorite moves in revenge.

Its only been a few seconds and Lugia has tossed out multiple attacks that could likely one shot some of my team. Its not unexpected and the sad part is that its very likely that Lugia is much stronger at defense consider what I requested from Fate so long ago. Much as some of my later team, Lugia already has shown moves that I didn't ask for.

Zaela spins around and about, slowly pulling earth upwards for ammo. She hasn't yet fired anything in offense, surprising me with her patience to draw out more of what Lugia can do. The Diving Pokémon is more or less hovering, pulling up rain clouds that Zaela immediately stifles with a sunny day. The two of them struggle with the weather for a moment until Zaela finally makes her first offensive move. Abandoning the battle for the clouds, she condenses stone edges under water and twists whirlpools around them so they are exposed. Seven of them are tossed upwards through they eyes of the whirlpools so they aren't slowed by water resistance. She does this while also cloaking herself in a dragon rush and forming a localized sandstorm from the remains of her draco meteor shield.

Lugia was not at all idle as Zaela set this up. Giga drains and psychically augmented air cutters attempt to foul Zaela's approach. My sister tightens the sandstorm around her in response and dodges with amazing agility downwards and fires her stone edges. Each shoot through her sandstorm to take advantage of her new ability Sand Force. The massive rocks almost disappear with the speed they gain and crack into Lugia with fantastic power.

All but two crash against reflect after reflect or a hastily fired hyper voice. One makes a direct hit to her chest and surprise pulses hard into my senses. However, it does very little damage. The second follows soon after and does in fact cause Lugia to be swatted about in obvious pain. Pulses of psychic energy immediately heals the damage but it was a distinctive hit. My starter never stopped moving and brought up a dragon blitz only for Lugia to grab herself with psychic and shift herself out of its path at blinding speed. My sister doesn't let it go unpunished and turns her head down as her tail cracks Lugia's latest reflect screen with an aqua tail only for a blinding dragon pulse to hammer into her opponent's chest.

Lugia accepts it, the dragon pulse doing next to no damage as I curse requesting she have both Pressure and Multiscale as abilities. Turning the trick around, she grabs Zaela with psychic and twists her to the side in a massive show of force into probably three separate future sights. I hear my starter's roar of pain before I can feel how much that hit her but it doesn't matter. Zaela hasn't stopped manipulating the earth under the stadium.

Eight more stone edges pull up, tinged with ancient power. Pressure means she likely can't use this attack may more times. The eight max bullshit of the games doesn't matter to my King but even this is a bit much for her. The attacks aren't put through a sandstorm but they still hit harder than Lugia expected. Three punch through and the legendary flies upwards, making any rocks pulled from the earth that much more costly in energy due to the height.

Double teams burst from where Zaela was clouded and the hint of an aeroblast in Lugia's maw fades as she brings up an icy wind and thrusts another air cutter through it to spread it far and wide, killing off Zaela's clones until nothing is there. My starter had immediately dived under water to catch her wind and to set up her next attack.

Lugia takes this opportunity to try and heal up again but every opportunity is interrupted by a swift slamming into her shields. A single recover gets through and she looks much better, pulling up the clouds more and slowly boosting her stats with calm mind. The lull lets Angel and Query reset some of their shields that have taken a massive beating already. Sunny in particular kept a blocked stone edge from crushing down upon me.

Finally boosted to her liking, Lugia spreads her great wings and then dives, her mouth open and bursting out a hyper voice that would do massive damage underwater to Zaela but is met with burning, near molten stealth rocks that hiss steam all the way up to collide into her shields. Each of them burn their way through and she shrieks in shocked pain, pulling up a surf to smother the heat and seeking the sky again.

Zaela doesn't let her go. A whirlpool forms around Zaela much as she did for her earlier attacks and she finally gets what she wanted. Close combat. Shadow claws boosted by brutal swings into a massive crunch are only the start as her sandstorm forms in an instant. Its so thick that nearly nothing can be seen and now Lugia is roaring in pain.

My emotions surge as I think she has it. The whole fight she's been attempting to fool the legendary into thinking she prefers fighting at range. Now she's savaging her in close. My breath catches as I feel Lugia's real panic then my hopes are dashed. A massive, huge boom rocks the whole area. Sound waves nearly crush me to the ground as Query and Angel's shields spark with strain.

A point blank aeroblast boosted by hyper voice tosses Zaela from the sky with enough speed to break the sound barrier. She cartwheels over the water like a skipped stone in what seems like bone breaking impacts and all I can sense from her is pain and just the barest hint of satisfaction. She used endure and a protect but even that couldn't block all of the damage.

Lugia is not in much better shape. All the dark and ghostly energy that she was hit by leaves her psychic abilities on a short period of instability but her control over the air is unhindered. A massive blizzard that makes use of all the rain and water shoots at my starter who just barely as started to get up. Zaela is already severely hurt but she ignites in a flare blitz and pushes up and through. I can feel her strain. Every moment of this fight has been constant concentration from her. No roaring. No taunting or savage grins.

All of her concentration is upon the legendary she seeks to overcome. Zaela shoots fire blast after flamethrower after incinerates into the coming blizzard and bursts free fast enough to roar loud enough to shake the air almost as much as the aeroblast did. Lugia, who was about to recover again, hesitates and instead shoots out a widespread dragon breath which Zaela flat out ignores, still coated in a flare blitz that turns into a dragon blitz.

The legendary pulls high into the sky towards the storm clouds she set up, tossing icy winds and ice beams down to force Zaela to dodge. Zaela responds with multiple dragon pulses and catches up just as Lugia sends an extrasensory downwards to rattle Zaela's whole body.

My starter is utterly exhausted but rings with triumph as she pulses hard, tearing away the control of the rain dance with a massive sandstorm. The difference between the dark, water filled sky and a bright sky, even if it is obscured by swirling, grating sand is dramatic. But not as dramatic as the near countless hovering stealth rocks, ancient powers and draco meteors that were hidden above storm that Lugia maintained.

From the very start my starter has been shattering stone edges against Lugia's shields and plucking the remains upwards. All of them pulled a bit of her power to hover as stealth rocks and then she modified them as Mars showed us was possible. The very first fight for the sky was simply to get some of that started upwards. To tempt Lugia to control the weather as her kind is known for. Anytime Zaela was out of sight she was pushing out draco meteors to hide in her next attacks, not to hit right away but to save up. We both knew Lugia was a true powerhouse not as an attacker, even if she is horribly scary even as that, but as a tank and defensive fighter. The only way to take her down? Overwhelming force.

Lugia is a legendary. Powerful and worthy of reverence for all that she does for the seas. But she can't have fought like we have day after day after day since Zaela was born. The tactics she's shown are good but terrain control was our goal from day one.

I can't count the number of rocks that start homing in on Lugia but its staggering. She doesn't back down or panic though. Even now she's tossing out huge blasts of her recovered psychic power and bringing up shield after shield. It worries me a bit even if she's taking blow after blow but Zaela's pleasure in the fight simply rockets as she speeds up. The pull on her power is gone to maintain the attacks and she starts plucking dodged ones out of the air and pulling them together with earth power. Lugia can't spare any attention to it as she's smacked across the sky. Hydro pumps and great bursts of electricity desperately slam into the crushing number of rocks as she pulls herself to and fro with both her mind and power over the sky.

Until Zaela's massive slab of rock hits her in the back. Even this she might have been able to avoid, damaged as she is until my sister comes crashing in again. The hint of another aeroblast isn't quick enough, so rattled is Lugia as Zaela's head shines with an iron head that cracks Lugia through the condensed plate of rock that Zaela made into a backdrop to cause more damage by way of impact. The sound makes me wince as does the outrage that follows. Every strike has ghostly or dark energy flowing through the massive claws that Mega Zaela has, even more brutal and dangerous than her normal form.

Both massive bodies slam into the sea with enough force to create wave that would easily wreck the stadium if not for Angel, Sunny and Query pushing their limits to delay the force long enough for Bri to pull the water outwards back to the sea. She even dips into the bay to steady the surf as Aurora forms both rock and ice walls to keep the nearby area from being flooded.

Everything comes rushing back to me as I peer down into the water and pulse my aura. I know what has happened but I keep it in until everyone can see. Tru probably knows too. Idly I realize that Sunny and Wattson are cheering their lungs out and probably have been for a while. Everyone else seems to be holding their breath until a great white body slowly emerges.

Lugia looks like a wreck. Giant welts and blood stain her normally pristine feathers and while she is breathing its obvious she needs quite a lot of healing. Its good that Zaela takes such care to deposit her on the platform I stand on. Thank you Query for keeping me safe here. I'm soaked of course, but he made sure to keep me standing. The legendary is unconscious and I hold up my hand as Angel flits nearby to start healing. Zaela wearily climbs out of the water and I give her an up and down.

She's just as visibly damaged as Lugia. One of her claws is broken and will take a while to grow back. Teeth are missing but she has a lot of extras to shift upwards. Bruises and broken bones are a given but her entire form _screams_ joy. She has defeated a legendary. By herself. Pride that would normally go straight to her head just settles on her like a mantle. She's always been sure of her place in the world but this is something past that.

This takes only an instant to feel but already Angel is about to disobey me, so concerned by the pain both Zaela and Lugia are under. Smiling faintly I pull out the last of the premiere balls I swiped so long ago and tap it against the legendary that Zaela has conquered. For the first time in my new life I watch and hold my breath as it sucks in a pokémon I fought to claim. Ding. Ding. Ding. Sneck. Oh so satisfying.

"Welcome to the family Ororo. Mistress of Weather."

The clean up takes quite a while and we do it without Tru, Tass, Angel and Sunny. Ororo and Zaela are in pretty bad shape. My three dedicated healers and Sunny can do almost as well as a Pokémon Center but the damage the two put each other through was beyond intense. Zaela promptly takes a nap and Ororo doesn't wake up until a few hours after we finish making sure we've repaired everything.

While the two are napping I catch up with Boris and we both have a good laugh at the way Marge is sitting in shock at what she witnessed. Its easily the most destructive battle I've seen since Zaela's dad got his beat down but its not that far away from how the Valley is during a Monster Mash. Eventually she snaps out of it to tell us how she wants things repaired but she often pauses to stare at the still slumbering forms who caused this all.

"Boss? Wonder if she realizes how much money she could make off the recording of this fight?" Boris' face shows none of the huge amount of amusement he has within him right now. Both his aggron and lucario are helping repairs. I'd attempted to aide but Query shot that down quick after a few larger pieces of rubble crashed without warning.

"I expect it might take her a bit. Mars got us a copy to go over later. Do your best to keep her from showing it off for about ten days would you? I want to make an impact with Ororo in a certain way." Boris actually grins then and nods, standing immediately.

"Got it. She's kind of been interested in me and the feeling is mutual so I guess I'll suffer through trying to get myself a date." The man gives me a somewhat irreverent salute and heads over to the lady. I don't hear the conversation that follows but from how she blushes? I think Boris was planning this for a while and just needed an excuse.

When Ororo finally awakens its to just myself waiting for her. Zaela is still sleeping in her ball and the rest of my family has given us space at my request. Introductions would have to wait till later. Ororo raises her head and gingerly gets onto her legs, resting on her limbs slowly.

"_I lost?" _There is wonder in her voice and that strange curiosity I felt early explodes within her only held back a deep sense of humility. _"I lost. Ella Mita. Do you.." _

She pauses as I hold up her premier ball and she blinks then concentrates. She returns herself and immediately pops back out. This happens five or so times and I can't help but snicker at the way her emotions are consumed by the odd feeling of being pulsed in and out of such a small container.

"Okay okay. You can do that later a lot to surprise people if you like. First we've got some things to talk about Ororo." Now I've got her attention. The pleasure she feels at her name has me a bit confused as I was a bit worried she'd want input but all I get is more satisfaction. "It was the name of a woman in a story who could control the weather. She was a hero."

"_Ororo? Ororo. I like it quite a lot. Thank you for my name. For this chance. Before you speak let me tell you a bit of what it means to hold my loyalty."_ That curiosity is so very, very hard for her to hold back but duty is her creed from what I can tell. It certainly rings in her mental voice. _"There are many stories of legendaries. Many have truth behind them and certainly with myself. At times I will need to depart to deal with issues in the seas here but I am not the only of my kind. Also, your Guardians appear to deal with many of the same issues as I do. Not just human problems but pokémon as well."_

She's not wrong. Many of our aura focused members tend to range into the wilds near large groups of pokémon to settle disputes there as many wild riolu and lucario tend to do. Frankly, pokémon tend to do far better than humans at keeping their peace but we go where we are needed period.

"_But. Long ago when I was very young I knew I would find a trainer someday. Celebi came to me when I was alone and away from my parents and showed me a vision of this possible future. That I'd be able to leave my duties to find new ones that were just as, if not more, important to the world._" Okay. Not sure what to make of that. At all. I guess I should just accept that I've cause far more change than I expect. Or is this Ash? Doesn't he meet Celebi someday? Would I be around for that? Concerns for another day. Isn't this what happened with Angel? Was Celebi responsible for that vision too?

"You're certainly welcome. Now. You know about aura a bit I assume? What are you so curious about? Its driving me nuts." Really. I'm nosy.

"_Oh! You're wearing clothes! Those are so interesting. And I saw a car a few weeks ago! Celebi's vision showed such interesting human things! Do you have a television? Or maybe a house? I've heard houses are places where humans live! I've only met maybe two humans before and any other pokémon who come by my underwater cave are usually just as isolated as I am. But! Some shipwrecks have books I can save before they are ruined and Uxie was kind enough to teach me how to read. Really the only true stories I get about you humans come from Suicune. But she just confuses me more with some of them. For instance it true you can't breathe underwater? How is that a thing?"_

I stare a bit up at her as she continues to ramble on and on. My head zones out as she questions the idea of a shower cap or anything that could possibly keep you away from water on your skin. It doesn't matter though. She's finally here. My last family member. My aura pulses out to her, wrapping her in my acceptance. Its nearing night and I can't think of a better way to spend it than finding a new friend and helping her explore a whole new world. After all, I've got experience in that.

* * *

Ororo

Query is a bit annoyed that I already know how to type. Silly boy. As if I wouldn't immediately find a way to explore the best way of finding information about the new world I came into. Hehe.

I'm not telling him that I'm the eighteenth level dual-caster that is destroying his current Fantasy storyline with the Crimson Mages. Where to begin?

First off hi. This is Ororo. You know that but remember when we first met? Introductions! Hah! Call back! So many interesting sayings that humans have created. Or is it Wattson?

I know you are hurting. I can see it. But I think you have had enough of us telling you what to do or offering support in fairly dramatic ways. Instead how about we talk? I'll tell you a few things and then you'll get back to me about it? That's how its worked with us. I ramble on and you listen then you answer and ramble on back to me.

First off, I love Rina. Don't listen to Query about it. I know why he dislikes her because he should remember that he's not the strongest psychic on the team and one of his minds got distracted. I'm not exactly proud that I peeked but its a stupid reason I'll tell you that much.

Second off, I also love you. There. A bit of unexpected mush! Oh dear. My plan is already off the rails. Fine. Just a bit of talking about your problem then back to chatting. I'm going to outlive everyone but perhaps Query and Tasslehoff. Maybe Zaela. I've never met another King so I'm not sure what will happen with her.

I know you will die far before I am even close to gone from this world. Do I despair about it? No. I will miss you immensely. Nothing will keep me from thinking about you for the rest of my days. That's me. I'm not at all human and you don't deal with things as I do. This isn't meant to solve your problem but rather give you a different perspective.

I will love you for hundreds of years. Generations of my line will know of my trainer. My beloved Ella. All isn't lost when someone passes. Keep them alive as I will you and all of our family.

Okay. Sorry. No more downer moments! That Ash boy is coming along well. I know he's the Chosen One but you're _my_ chosen one.

Hahahaha! I'm channeling Wattson! Oh my Arceus. I can't stop laughing. See! Silly humor. Despite how long I've lived or how long I will I always find its best to search out those simple pleasures. Its why I get along so well with Sunny and Wattson. Life should be taken seriously but at the same time be celebrated for its foibles.

When I was waiting for you to come around, which was quite a long time past five years note, I tended to take joy in the lives of those under my care. Seeing mon after mon succeed and live their lives happily as much as they could. I was born to prevent massive issues as well as to deal with them when needed but such stress _cannot_ be your normal.

The Silver Guardians are strong. They can exist without you now. Isn't that amazing? You've built something that will outlast you. It might seem sad but honestly you've made something that will help all for who knows how long. Also, can we change it to be the Ororo Guardians? Huh? I know you named them after my game! The Lugia one!

Ororo Guardians!

Anyway, I'll leave you off with a few things I'm curious about as usual. First off. Did you know that Mars and Zaela have been mated for a while now? They're just hiding it. For quite a long time. Okay that's not me being curious. That's me being annoyed that they do that 'will they-won't they' bs when in reality its some stupid tauros-sh...Sorry. Language. Tauros poo when we all know its _going_ to happen.

I want them to have babies! Fine. That's the real deal. Plus I'm a bit bitter about my last loss to Zaela so bleh to her.

Curious things! What is the purpose of multiple types of cutlery? Why do you need cutlery? You have fingers. You could just eat like a normal mon and put your mouth _right_ on the food.

Shaving. You have hair to keep warm. If you keep getting hairy you don't need clothes! No clothes means more money! More money means you get to buy me more books. The end.

Not the end. Last one. I really do love you.

Fooled you! More mush!

Seriously cheer up Ella.

* * *

**This chapter took forever to write. Holy shit. Its so long too. I wanted to get to Kanto politics and introducing Ororo to the team but it would have just been a bit too much compared to the ending I found there. Next chapter will start with the team and all that getting to know Ororo more.**

**Some romance going down maybe and a not at all father issue that helps me deal with personal things. Nope. Never. Also, seems like a bunch of people see the future in some way. Weeeeird.**

**Zaela has come a long way huh? Two fights for her this chapter which is a bit heavy but eh. It made sense. Hope the fight was epic enough. Keep in mind that while Ororo is very, very strong she doesn't have a huge amount of training. I mean she probably maybe would fight other legendaries? She might know quite a lot of moves but that's not the same as perfecting them or even knowing the perfect way to use them.**

**I probably should have split it up but I'm just thankful I got inspiration again. A few things coming up! Next chapter is Kanto politics as I said, some kid named Ash, some color named people and possibly a fight with Lance.**

**Why do I do this to myself? Lance fight may be the chapter after. Then we get into Rocket things and seeing what the Order can do together. I'm not going to promise that I'll have it out at my old pace as I think that burned me out hard but I am currently overflowing with ideas. This also is where I have to carefully consider things. Enough rambling! Guest reviews. I've got a backlog!**

**1236- Three words!- Three floating bases! I was considering this already but your comment pushed me to commit! Feel free to suggest eventual names.**

**Next two Guests (A&B)!- Thank you for your comments! I'm making more!**

**Next Guest(C)!- Hoopa? Hrm! I hadn't considered that at all. I haven't actually seen that movie. I shall look!**

**Ten- I doubt Ella will do another conference but we'll see. It just seems to be overkill for her in that way. This story is more about the characters than any traditional pokémon progression. That said, Lance fight soon!**

**Secret Guest- That's an interesting idea! Very interesting! Ororo could find it real quick too! Thinking!**

**GS Jr- When you get to this chapter, thank you kindly for your words.**

**Moving past flamer guest….**

**Guest (D)- Thank you for your compliment. I'm not so sure about my writing but I'm trying!**

**NeverFallInLove- Thank you! I'm trying to keep writing and not get burnt out again. Here's your fix!**

**Onto the team. Also. Decided I'm going to put this at the bottom for a few more chapters then likely put it in my still blank profile. Cause its so much space. Yeesh.**

* * *

**_**Zaela the King Garchomp (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Adamant**__

**_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, Double Team, Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, Rain Dance, Mud-Slap, Dual Chop, Slash, Dragon Claw, **_**__**Draco Meteor, Dragon Rush, Earthquake, **__**_**Stone Edge, **_**__**Crunch, **__**_**Fire Blast, Aerial Ace, Hyper Be**_**__**am, **____**Brutal Swing, Poison Jab, Iron Tail, Hone Claws, Aqua Tail, Whirlpool, Fury Cutter, Hidden Power**____**(Ice), Flare Blitz, **____**Incinerate, Toxic, Dragon Pulse, Headbutt, Bulldoze, Endure, **____**Dig, Twister, **____**Swift, **____**Laser Focus, **____**Swords Dance, Outrage, Body Slam, Metal Claw,**____** Surf, **____**Ancient Power, **____**Protect**__

**_**Combination Moves: Furnace (Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit)**_**

**_**Pain Whirl (Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and Rock Slide with a helping of Mud-Slap. Confuse them in a tornado made of giant pain rocks)**_**

**_**Grinder- Earthquake and Earth Power to simultaneously disrupt movement and provide a sharp incline to speed up Dragon Rush and manually activate Stealth Rocks. Rock Slide to subtly hammer Stealth Rocks towards vital points. Very tiring.**_**

**_**Dragon Blitz- (See Mars)**_**

**_**Ella's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_**

**_**2- Query the Shiny Metagross**_**__** (Identifies Male)**__

__**Ability: Clear Body**__

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

**_**Moves: Iron Head, Iron Defense, Take Down, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Psych Up, Gravity, Ally Switch, Miracle Eye , Scary Face, Brick Break, Meteor Mash, Agility, Magnet Rise, Return, Reflect, Double Team, Light Screen, **_**__**Rock Smash, Hammer Arm. Pursuit, **__**_**Hammer Arm, **_**__**Toxic, Shadow Ball, Hyper **__**_**Beam, Focus Blast, **_****_**Flash, **_****_**Laser Focus, Telekinesis, Grass Knot, Giga Impact, **_****_**Earthquake, **_****_**Thunderpunch, **_****_**Rock Tomb, Ice Punch, Signal Beam, Stealth Rock, Dynamic Punch, Body Slam, Rollout, Strength, Endure, Block, Rest, Aerial Ace, **_****_**Rock Polish, **_****_**Protect, **_****_**Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Sandstorm**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Psi-Fist - A method of psychic manipulation of an opponents gravity and self to make critical hits happen. A variety of punches/strikes with heavy but small piercing-like psychic stabs to balance points. **_****_**Grass Knot and Flash-distracted Laser Focus attacks added.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Two- Constant mind/emotion reading to adapt to attack patterns and psychological weaknesses. Low level confusion waves to occlude and disrupt senses and to influence terror or caution depending on level of threat as well as psychological profile. Can currently use two dedicated brains for state two. Three deemed too detrimental to combat ability.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Three- Every attack causes psychic waves within a victim's body. Focused mind reading directs the waves to short out essential organs and the nervous system. Not for sparring. Almost always fatal. **_**

**_**Meteor- Magnet Rise, Gravity and Psychic to aid in a mid-air constant rollout to build up maximum damage. Target is then aimed with an aerial ace at speeds matching or exceeding most electric types. Once target is hit detonated earthquake to follow and appropriate physical attack added. Ice punch. Zen Headbutt. Etc. Iron Defense and constant reflects for help against recoil.**_**

**_**3- Truthseeker(Tru) the Lucario (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Inner Focus, **_**__**Justified (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Serious**__

**_**Moves: Foresight, Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Detect, Cross Chop, Bite, Mind Reader, High Jump Kick, Agility, Vacuum Wave, Crunch, Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash, Copycat, Rock Smash, Force Palm, **_**__**Aura Sphere, Heal Pulse, **____**Protect, **____**Power-Up Punch, Me First, Calm Mind, **____**Extremespeed, Toxic, Focus Blast, Shadow Bal**__**_**l, **_**__**Thunderpunc**__**_**h**_****_**, Close Combat, **_****_**Bone Rush**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Heal Sphere- Aura Sphere made with heal pulse energy. Very aura intensive but serves as a long range critical heal.**_**

__**EMT- Bullet Punch, **____**Extremespeed or**____**M**____**e First(Depends on move) to target who is attacking ally. Counter if needed while second hand is using Heal Pulse. High Jump Kick away if Quick Attack is not fast enough. Looking into Substitute, Extremespeed and Quick Guard for increased effectiveness.**__

__**Reader: Calm Mind, Mind Reader, Detect to stay in someone's guard. Protect to be **____**used**____** later when unable to dodge.**__

__**Regen: Developed by Joy's lucario. Bounces small Heal Pulses onto a Protect screen to cause small amounts of healing over time. Somewhat draining even when perfected. Calm Mind increases efficiency.**__

**_**4- Sunshine(Sunny) the Sylveon (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Cute Charm, **__**_**Pixilate (Hidden)**_**

__**Nature: Quirky**__

__**Moves: Fake Tears, Tickle, Wish, Yawn, Stored Power, **____**Charm,**____** Tackle, Helping Hand, Baby-Doll Eyes, Fairy Wind, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Swift, Moonblast, Refresh, Draining Kiss, Light Screen, Misty Terrain, Skill Swap, Reflect, Safeguard, Round, **____**Shadow Ball, To**__**_**xic, **_****_**Dig, **_****_**Snore, **_****_**Hyper Voice, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Double Team, **_****_**Psyshock**_**

__**Special Moves: Talk no jutsu. Seriously. Okay not seriously. Just couldn't resist the joke.**__

**_**5- Mars the Shiny Charizard**_**__** (Male)**__

**_**Ability: Blaze**_**

**_**Nature: Lonely**_**

__**Moves: **__**_**Ancient Power, Flare Blitz, Scratch, Ember, Dragon Dance, Air Cutter, Crunch, Bite, Beat Up, Dragon Rush, Dragon Pulse, Slash, Fire Fang, Dragon Rage, Flame Burst, Flamethrower, Metal Claw, Smokescreen, Wing Attack, **_****_**Fire Blast, Thunderpunch, Hyper Beam, Toxic, Focus Blas**_**__**t, **____**Dragon Tail, Dragon Breath, **____**Shadow Claw. Will o' Wisp, Ominous Wind, Fire Spin, **____**Dig, Earthquake**____**, Sunny Day. Draco Meteor (Currently only in Mega)**__

**_**Combination Moves(Self Taught): Dragon Blitz-High speed directed attack. A fully boosted by Dragon Dance Flare Blitz combined with a Dragon Rush that can be changed mid attack by using an enforced claw with Slash and Metal Claw to dig into nearby surfaces to a new direction. **_**__**Wing Attack and Air Cutter to achieve similar effects in air. Steel Wing desired. Double Team to be added for confusion once completely mastered. Possible Beat Up Clones when team exceeds six members.**__

**_**Smoke Boost- Dragon Dance while setting up favorable terrain with Ancient Power and hoping for more buffs while covered in a Smokescreen. Double Team and Beat Up to be added later.**_**

__**Firewall- Flame Bursts tossed up high and fed with a directional Air Cutter. Flamethrower added immediately after Flame Burst. Able to use without Blaze but cannot sustain it while moving without ability activation. Ancient Power to be added in slowly. Rock Slide an alternative if learnt.**__

**_**6- Aurora the **_****_**Aurorus**_**__**(Female)**__

**_**Abilities: Refrigerate, Snow Warning (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Modest**_**

**_**Moves: Powder Snow, Thunder Wave, Haze, Barrier, Mirror Coat, Sandstorm, Hail, Magnet Rise, Discharge, Rock Throw, Mist, Icy Wind, Ice Beam, Round, Ancient Power, Aurora Beam, Avalanche, **_****_**Thunderbolt, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Safe**_****_**guard, Freeze Dry, Light Screen. Encore, Nature Power, Blizzard, **_****_**Rain dance, **_****_**Thunder, **_****_**Aurora Veil, Earthquake, Psychic, Charge Beam, Psych Up, Frost Breath, Flash Cannon, Dark Pulse, Iron Defense, Stealth Rock, Flash**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Storm Defense: Ability activation, Sandstorm and Barrier. Omni-Directional Discharge if any non-ground types enter the field. **_****_**Hail and Aurora Veil amp it up with Rain Dance causing massive amounts of electric bursts.**_**

**_**Odin's Eye: A method of tagging a target with a magnetic, low powered rock throw to place a marker. Leads to an incredibly high accuracy attack through Storm Defense by seeking out the signature with her fins.**_**

__**7- **____**Wattson(Thunderbug) the Ele**____**c**____**tivire**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Motor Drive, **____**Vital Spirit (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Jolly**__

__**Moves: **____**Thunder Shock, Cross Chop, Thunderbolt, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Focus Punch, Low Kick, Rolling Kick, Meditate, Dynamic Punch, Light Screen, Barrier, Thunderpunch, Discharge, Thunder, Shock Wave**____**, Focus Blast, Toxic, **____**Thunder Wave, **____**Dig, **____**Earthquake, **____**Electric Terrain, **____**Round, **____**Electro Ball, Swift, Taunt, Rain Dance, Protect, Double Team, Rock Tomb, Psychic, Charge Beam, Swagger, Rock Slide, Bulldoze, Thunder, Signal Beam, Helping Hand, Power-Up Punch, Flamethrower, Mud-slap, **____**Magnet Rize**__

__**Combo Moves: The Punch-A fully motor drive/meditate buffed thunder punch combined with focus punch and electric terrain caused by launching someone with an earthquake. Ice or Fire Punch substituted for vulnerabilities.**__

__**The DANCE- Rain dance, swagger, meditate and magnet rise all at once to impress and infuriate at once! Flash to be used later when learned. Possibly signal beam as well.**__

__**Prismatic Spray- A bunch of moves at once. Very draining. Psychic, signal beam, thunderbolt, flamethrower and focus blast at once. Very flashy, doesn't hit overly hard yet. Just super disruptive.**__

__**Rasengan- Sigh. Double team to add rotation. No. Its just for fucking flair. And apparently able to low power helping hand. Its literally just an electro ball with a blue color that the idiot shoves into someone bodily. Instead of actually throwing it. Working on combining it with focus blast and psychic to make a shuriken. Yeah. **__

__**8- Joker**____** the Zoroark**____**(Male)**__

**_**Ability: Illusion**_**

**_**Nature: Serious (as fuck)**_**

**_Moves: _****_Fake Tears, Fury Swipes, Night Slash, Night Daze, Detect, U-Turn, Imprison, Pursuit, Hone Claws, Flamethrower, Scary Face, Feint Attack, Taunt, Foul Play, Torment, Double Team, Embargo, Punishment, Dark Pulse, Copycat, Sucker Punch, Shadow Ball, Bounce, Grass Knot, Psych Up, _****_Shadow Claw, Snarl, _****_Dig, _****_Focus Blast, Shadow Ball, _****_Toxic_**

**_**9- Angel**_**__** the **____**Gardevoir**____** (Female)**__

__**Ability: Trace, Synchronize, Telepathy (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Modest**__

__**Moves: **____**Teleport, Ally Switch, Trick Room, Dazzling Gleam, Healing Wish, Wish, Heal Pulse, Misty Terrain, Psychic, Confusion, Moonblast, Icy Wind, Mimic, Calm Mind, Captivate, Stored Power, Nightmare, Hypnosis, Dream Eater, Future Sight, Heal Bell, Echoed Voice, Hyper Voice, Hyper Beam, Shadow Sneak, Disable, Confuse Ray, Encore, Imprison, Skill Swap, Destiny Bond, **____**Light Screen, Reflect, Protect, **____**Round**__

__**10- **____**Tasslehoff the Mismagius**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Levitate**__

__**Nature: Modest**__

__**Moves: **____**Spite, Confuse Rate, Scary Face, Mean Look. Toxic, Will o' Wisp, Hex, **____**Sucker Punch, Psybeam, Zap Cannon, Payback, Perish Song, Grudge, Pain Split, Power Gem, Astonish, Phantom Force, Mystical Fire, Magical Leaf, Lucky Chant, Torment, Thief, Trick Room, Dark Pulse, Curse, Torment, Memento, **____**Dream Eater, **____**Endure, Flash**__

__**11- **____**Brightscales (Bri) the shiny Milotic (Female)**__

__**Ability: Marvel Scale, Competitive, Cute Charm**__

__**Nature:Bold**__

__**Moves:**____**Splash, Tackle, Flail, Mud Sport, Hypnosis, Confuse Ray, Mirror Coat, Tickle, Haze, Mist, Dragon Pulse, Dragonbreath, Captivate, Brine, **____**Water Pulse, Aqua Ring, Recover, Disarming Voice, Refresh, Attract, Safeguard, Coil, Rain Dance, Surf, Scald, Ice Beam, Endure, Aqua Tail, **____**Dragon Tail, Wrap, **____**Round**__

**_**12- **_****_**Ororo the Lugia (Female)**_**

**_**Ability: Pressure, Multiscale**_**

**_**Nature: Calm**_**

**_**Moves: Weather Ball, Aeroblast, Rain Dance, Giga Drain. Psychic, Extrasensory, Thunder, Thunderbolt, Surf, Hydro Pump, Water Pulse, Earthquake, Thunder Wave, Sky Attack, Hyper Voice, Calm Mind, Shadow Ball, Skill Swap, Telekinesis, **_****_**Whirlwind, Gust, Dragon Rush, Hurricane, Swift, Ice Beam, Icy Wind, Blizzard, Punishment, Ancient Power, Recover, Safeguard, Future Sight, Psyshock, Hail, Sunny Day, Light Screen, Reflect, Protect, Return, Double Team, Sandstorm, Aerial Ace, Steel Wing, Iron Head, Echoed Voice, Sky Drop, Fly, Charge Beam, Psych Up, Waterfall, Dive, Earth Power, Signal Beam, Zen Headbutt, Dragon Breath, Tailwind, Laser Focus, Defog, Whirlpool, Air Cutter, Ominous Wind, Twister, Swift, Detect, Brine, Endure**_**


	22. Ch 22- Guardian and Beginnings

**So! Hi. I've decided I talk too much so AN after this chapter will only be on the bottom unless its super important. Like a new story I put out to get my mind of of the blocks I'm getting for this story.**

**Its a Star Wars TOR/Mass Effect story and I like writing it a lot! Check it out if you're curious. **

**As to DoF here? This chapter will have a lot of different perspectives. I tried very, very hard to get the Lance vs Ella fight in this chapter but I ended up writing far more than I expected before that. So sadly that'll be next chapter. On the other hand, it'll give me more time to focus on the battle. Which is always stupendously intimidating. Anyway! Story!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything of pokémon, just the ocs!**

* * *

Slate

Near Pewter City

Brock was scared shitless. Admittedly, the ten year old didn't really know what that meant, just that he'd overhead some older kids saying that when talking about being in trouble with their mother. The situation he's in certainly seems like its appropriate to think this way. Pewter City is surrounded by rocky mountains and lots of various caves in addition to the famous Mt. Moon. Ever since he'd received his starter Onix, all Brock had wanted to do is teach him how to control stone in ways that his father Flint could. His father's Rhyperior could do amazing things with stone edge.

So, taking his backpack, hiking clothes and his lone partner, Brock set off for a cave outside of the city that he previously wasn't allowed to play in without supervision. Partially because it led to a series of tunnels that he could get lost in. He thought surely that now with his massive, if still young, starter that nothing there could threaten him. After all, both his father and mother had taken him there at times before to teach him of their family's signature type. Even if Lola wasn't a rock trainer she agreed that a Slate must know everything about rock pokémon.

What could go wrong?

Evidently a lot. There wasn't much in the cave and its tunnels that could truly harm him. Geodude, zubat, the very occasional onix and maybe a random other type of pokémon. However, this day, for whatever reason, all of them are going nuts. Brock had seen pokémon battles all his life from his father's Gym Battles but those always ended before anything approaching death occurred. Today? Today the young trainer sees geodude crushing zubat into pulps only to immediately turn and start killing each other. Limbs are ripped off. Skulls are caved in. Nearby rattatta swarm the rock pokémon to chip away frantically. Its a frenzy and his starter is desperately trying to protect his new friend.

Even as Brock attempts to flee upwards towards where he goes he can't help but notice that even Onix is starting to become more and more brutal in his defense. Brock is a very level headed kid and usually can be counted on to make informed, careful decisions but the cries of dying pokémon around him, tearing each other apart push past all of his calm and panic is all that remains as he and Onix tear towards the exit. Unfortunately, the feral, rabid pokémon band together to take out the biggest threat, scrambling towards Brock as if his fear is the sweetest smell to them. Only his starter stands in the way and while great in strength, Onix can't take much more.

Brock knows he's going to die. He should have turned back when he found the first torn apart geodude. And the graveller after that. He definitely should not have continued on to peek at what the massive amounts of screeches and cries of battle meant. If he had just ran back and alerted some rangers he wouldn't be about to die. Strangely, almost back to his usual even temper, he returns his starter hoping that at least he'll survive in his pokéball.

Idly he realizes how torn up his clothing is from bumps and scrapes he doesn't remember getting in his flight. Flashing his miner's helmet's light saves him from a golbat that crashes into the wall next to him, barely missing Brock's throat. The sound it makes, pure fury and hunger, spur him on even if he knows it won't matter. Something has to give.

He wonders when he started screaming for help? The light ahead is too far. The cave widens into a cavern which is a bit worse for him. The mass of pokémon following him were a bit constrained in the tunnel but now they have space to spread out and he can hear the sound of boulders falling which he knows is the gravellers starting rollout. Whimpering a bit, all that he has in his lungs as a sound to make, he gets ready to throw Onix's ball as hard as he can but it pops open and his starter forces his way free to stand in front of the horde.

"No! Save yourself! Onix!" Tears are already pricking his eyes as he turns his head, trying to return his rock snake but can't as Onix is already half covered in zubat. Every attempt misses. Bellowing in fury and desperate determination, his starter starts to try and bring down the cavern to save his trainer.

Brock isn't going to die, but his best friend will. That's worse, his heart tells him. Sobbing, he pushes his head down, unable to watch his starter's death and trying to reach the light. Words he'll never forget save his world.

"Dragonair, get them off that Onix. Mai, protect the kid." The voice is that of an angel. Calm, offering salvation and a brighter future than there was a second before. Brock just stares as he's pulled into furry arms that feel like steel. Idly, he sees they _are_ steel. A lucario. His eyes snap to his starter, still groaning in pain and he can't see the movement of what happens. Only the results.

A snap of force occurs and suddenly his starter is free of foes. He can't help but wince at the damage to his rock snake. Slashes score deep in his rocky body and his horn is snapped. Blood, which is insanely hard to draw from an onix, flows from countless wounds but he's _alive._ And above him, shooting out ice beams and water pulses is the largest dragonair he's ever heard of. Cracks of sound echo about the cavern as aqua tails take out foes in one hit. Brock's eyes can't help but watch the insurmountable horde be taken apart in what seems like moments.

"Hey. Don't worry now. Return your onix though. No need to have him suffer. Mai here can use heal pulse but she's not the best so lets get him to a Pokémon Center alright?" The girl he sees is older than him by some years. Maybe sixteen or so. Long blue hair frames a gorgeous face and despite the situation Brock can't help but blush hard at the kind smile she gives him. She seems to wear a uniform he vaguely recognizes. Onix is returned as her dragonair continues to stand alone against everything that comes.

"_Clairy Berry. The source of the mass of emotions is gone. Whatever caused the frenzy fled the moment we got into the cave. Sorry. I'm not as good as tracking as Edgar."_

"Its fine Mai. At least you're not...Odd. Like him. So glad you didn't inherit your father's crazy. We'll figure out why we keep finding these...Incidents. Probably time to call in some help though." Brock isn't sure what the blue-haired girl and her lucario are talking about but he isn't really focusing. The mob is dying down and a giant pile of knocked out pokémon are a testimony to dragonair's skill. After a few more minutes the terror and run catch up to him and he can't help but collapse, or would if his savior's lucario didn't keep him up.

"_Do not worry child. Its okay. You're safe. My name is Mai and this is my trainer Clair. She's a Silver Guardian Ranger."_

Brock knew her words were true. He was safe. Even a region away the Silver Guardians had made a name for themselves for going out of there way to help those in need. It was like a fairy tale and all children thrived on such stories. Brock was no exception but he always knew that he would lead the Pewter Gym next.

Now? Now he wanted to become stronger. Become a Guardian.

…..Plus, Clair was very, very pretty. Brock wasn't sure why this was important. But it was.

* * *

Guardian

Dragon Holy Land

So Ororo meeting the rest of the family was about as I expected. Odd. Fantastic. Terrifically weird. It had to wait a day though. Both Ororo and Zaela needed some healing and I decided to heal them both in Scarlet City before heading out for the week of training I've set aside for my last team member.

The Joy at the Center recognized me and I got a thank you from her about what the Order did a few years past to help drive off some tentacruel swarms nearby. Even when I told her that I wasn't here personally for it she just smiled and thanked me anyway. I may have slightly blushed. Just a bit. I don't get out much save for missions so I have a bit of an issue dealing with honest gratefulness. Whatever. I got back at her when she asked about my pokémon.

"So how can I help you First Guardian? Healing I assume." Yep! Let's carefully watch your face. Idly I let Query out, who takes up a lot of space but this center doesn't have a lot of people in it right now. Its not time yet for the Whirl Cup. "Does this have to do with the reports of a giant battle in the Colosseum I heard about?"

Beaming at her, my grin is wide and my eye sparkles as she's momentarily distracted by the shiny metagross that the few trainers in here start to recognize. Query is pretty famous for his battle in the Conference even now. I brought him out to perfectly capture Joy's face though. Yessss. He'll be able to set up an image of it later.

"That's part of it. My garchomp won a battle against a tough pokémon. Luckily though, we caught her. She's in this second ball. I doubt you can fit either of them safely in the building but feel free to see what I caught!" Now, slow wink and wait for it.

This Joy just looks at me, wondering why I'm acting strange and hums a low tune as she takes my two premier balls. The humming stops and I sigh in a bit of pleasure at the expression she gets. How her jaw drops and how her chansey pokes her multiple times to get her to put the premier balls into the healing machine.

Such satisfaction.

"I..I see. Well. Uhm. It'll be...Just a bit First Guardian. My. Ah…."

"That'll be fine! Don't tell anyone though. You'll see Ororo on the news fairly soon I expect so feel free to then okay? Query and I will just go get a bite to eat. Kay bye!" The snickers are carefully held in until I'm out of earshot then Query joins me in my amusement. His mental laughter is a pleasant metallic hum of sorts.

Some time later has Angel teleporting us to the Dragon Holy Land. True, we'd just been in Blackthorn but I'm being a bit of a coward. I don't want to train near Rina just yet so no Foundry right now. Hey. I can admit I'm being a coward here at least. That's what you're here for journal-kun.

Anyway, its still dark so I kept most of my team in their balls save for Zaela who I knew would appreciate being here. It speaks to dragons. Plus, the dragonite guardian here would enjoy sparring with her during our training. He's a big softy compared to most of the elders within the Den that's for sure.

The night was worth all of it. Its been so long since the team and I have gotten to go out for any amount of time. No meetings or issues to worry about. No new Guardians to train or test. Is this a vacation? Weird. But! You want to know what happened with the team didn't you journal-kun?

The morning was pretty boring. Aurora and I cooked something simple. Waffles. Which took a while and required Mars' tail to help to make giant ones for him, Zaela and Aurora herself. Query never really eats a huge amount so the rest of my team had relatively small meals. Buuuuut, we put a giant waffle aside for the new family member.

Ororo popped out with a low croon and a curious gaze. She'd seen all of my team at the fight sure but only in passing. As for my team? Well.

"_You're so pretty! So pretty! Wow! Hi! I'm Sunny! We're family now! Oh! Are you my sister? Or aunt? Neat cousin? I don't know what to do! Mom! She's so pretty!" _Sunny, with no care for Ororo's legendary presence (seriously, she has a _presence _that is palpable), runs up with her ribbons running over Ororo's wing, showing her how utterly happy she is at a new friend.

"_I _am_ pretty yes! Thank you very much. You can keep me and everything because your garchomp friend defeated me! My name is Ororo." _

"_Sunny dear, let her eat with us first and we'll introduce ourselves over food. Ororo. I'm Aurora and this is a waffle. Its a human food I expect you'll adore. Do forgive some of our members for already starting to eat."_

"_Tch. Whatever Aurora. I had to fight her yesterday. I'm hungry. And a dragon."_ Zaela logic. Hah.

"_Food first. Talk later. I am Joker. But waffles." _My zoroark is currently in his usual form for once but the way he's looking at Ororo leads me to believe he's planning to copy her form real quick. Part of it might be the unblinking eyes even as his paws carefully place waffles into his mouth. Unblinking. Not creepy at all.

"_Yep! Joker's right new lady! I'm Wattson. Tru here is my wifey. We've got three wonderful children as well. I'll show you pictures as soon as we're done digging in. So, what's your thing by the way?"_ Uh oh. I don't like the aura coming off of Wattson right now. Seriously. It feels like a head ache. How is he provoking that in my senses?

"_My...thing? I'm afraid I don't rightly know what you speak of. By all means ela-oh my these are delicious. Thank you for making these! Goodness. And you say this is a human creation?! Trainer! You must show me more of these wonderous things immediately! Perhaps this thing called fashion? I overheard some female humans talking quite a lot about it when a massive ship crossed my seas."_

Wattson's voice is downright gleeful. _"So that's her thing! Wise but inexperienced with life __around__ her! Likely not the main character but a huge fan favorite. She'll do well with Sunny. The innocent but determined girl who colors the world in wonder for the rest of us. I must tell Anime about this when-Ow!"_ Thank you Tru. I'm so sorry for what you feel right now.

"_Lady Ororo. Please forgive my mate. Do not listen to him until you've gotten to know him a bit better. I would be happy to show you around the Foundry when we are done here. This is the Dragon Holy Land and it will serve as our training ground for the next week."_

"Yeah. I'd rather you get used to my family first Ororo. Then we'll make a grand entrance. Heh. It miiiiight also be a bit of a prank. Have you heard much of the Order?" That's right. This is for naming me First Guardian you assholes. Am I using the grand entrance of my newly caught legendary to fuck with my fellow Guardians for a entirely petty reason? Of course. Its like you don't know me journal-kun.

"_My Heart-Voice created them to help the world. I assume you know some of it due to how you knew of her and Zaela's challenge against you years past."_ Leave it to Query to live up to his name. So curious. Tru is radiating disapproval of the way we're all talking to Ororo. Probably her years of training coming forward to demand respect for a Legendary. I can see why. There is such an air about Ororo. Unfortunately for my lucario she's going to be very disillusioned from how long Ororo kept me up last night asking all sorts of odd questions.

"_Just a bit really. Suicune told me quite a lot over the years and I asked any passing psychics for news when I could. Aurora! I must have you teach me how to make these. Mm!"_ Mars takes this moment to introduce himself in a way that immediately endears him to our newest family member.

"_Here. I made these devices, usually called clawboards, for pokémon. Manipulate the keys and the porygon-2 watching over this feed will get you any and all information you desire. I am Mars. Ella hatched me. Welcome. If you need anything I can help you acclimate." _My shiny charizard has changed immensely I the past few years. He's still awkward at times but he's grown to enjoy teaching any who wish to glimpse a bit of his genius. While Joker and Query are still best friends, Mars and my metagross probably work the best together out of any of my mons.

Our newest family team member is _immediately_ fascinated by the gift and ignores pretty much everything for the rest of breakfast in search of a reason humans build houses instead of using a convenient cave or something similar. The rest of our week is filled with adapting her moves to our fighting styles and a lot of sparring. Most of it is boring repetition but there are a few amazing standouts.

The most annoying to deal with were by far Ororo being paired with either Tass or Bri. Its one of the few times I've honestly seen Mars upset.

"_This is...So annoying! Spite! Pressure! No ancient power! Bah! Speed reduction, constant barriers and light screens interrupting me from trying to burn the ghost! Then suddenly Ororo is in my shadow with a switch! Ready to pour an ocean of water on me! I gave her an amazing gift and this is what I get? I'll be back in a few hours. Ugh."_

I totally didn't laugh my butt off immediately journal-kun. Nope. I waited until he had left my eyesight. Poor black dragon son. I'm fairly certain he'll have counters withing counters eventually but to be honest I think its good for him to be humbled a bit. He should take it as a compliment that they go after him in spars first.

As for Bri and Ororo?

"_My your scales are indeed living up to your name. Its awful difficult to care for my feathers at times. Oh. Is it my turn to safeguard?"_

"_Why thank you. Its so hard to have someone properly appreciate my beauty. Zaela cares not a whit for true care of form. And no I'll get this one. My aqua ring is quite full, thank you for the rain. If you wouldn't mind a whirlwind towards Query there? He's almost crying I think from his last attempt being ignored. Mercy is after all something we noble selves should have."_

"_My. I'm not sure if I should feel quite that...superior. But I suppose it _is_ rather funny how long they've been going on about this. Do you think I should switch to Roost? Make it a bit more fair? Oop. Moment. They got through the second barrier wall. Ahem. Your attention attackers?"_

Wattson, Tru, Sunny and a just returning Query look up.

"_Surf."_

"_Myself as well. Surf."_

Wattson, Tru, Sunny and an indeed crying Query are blasting off again!

"_Its a pity you had to use mud sport. Wattson looked grumpy. I know I've only known him a few days but it just seemed...Unnatural."_

"_Hmph. The ruffian is just mad that I interrupted his boasting with hypnosis at the start. Now, I'm almost done with full coilling. Your mind calm completely?"_

"_Oh. Yes. I also stole a bit of speed from poor Wattson and defense from Query."_

"_Good! Let's put them out of their misery. Ella must give me another rub down with how dirty I've become. And perhaps some treats. We've worked quite hard after all."_

"_...I'm not sure that's how I'd describe letting your family punch themselves into exhaustion."_

Query's crying kind of sounds like a one of those old modems with the dial-up sound note.

There wasn't much else of note that happened before I got to face the fact that in the next few days I'll get to deal with Rina and the Indigo League officials.

I'm far more afraid of what Rina will be saying. The last night in the Holy Land had me next to Ororo, talking about the Guardians and just getting to know each other. She'd spent most of her free time on Mars' ingenious tablet or with the rest of my pokémon. Our interactions were more about her training which is very basic fundamentals. Tactics. Combining things in interesting ways and how she could use the high mobility of many of my family to get herself in the right place at the right time.

Also, three psychics pulling their energies together is intensely scary in application. Query now can be much more direct in team fighting with how strong Ororo's defenses are. All of our other defensive battlers aren't nearly as versatile as her nor can they so easily shape the battlefield. Aurora is quite close but she can't traverse easily and she requires a lot more setup.

With Sunny and Angel Ororo has found the heart of our family. Watching them learn how to play tag was beyond adorable and I didn't squee inwardly so loud that Tru started laughing madly. Nope. Not at all.

Tru and Wattson got her to see all the various pictures of their children and surprised me on what they were working on. When we got back to the Foundry they'd be setting up a school for younger pokémon to help teach them about human behavior. Which sounds like a huge oversight on my part for not thinking of that myself.

Brightscales and my Lugia (so weird to say) became ladies drinking tea minus the tea. Its an interesting friendship based on the majesty they both feel they have. Of course Bri's is much, much more prideful but Ororo is a legendary. It may seem rather skin deep as a connection but Bri has an interesting outlook on her responsibilities. This is the milotic who single handed...taildedly?..whatever. She took on all of our gyarados and more or less rules them. Since she's done that? None have gone on a rampage. All view the hightly difficult and disciplined skill of flying as a right of passage to become a partner with a Guardian. Because Bri felt it was her duty to increase the standards of our Order.

So yeah, Ororo can get behind that sense of leadership.

Mars and her have the slowest growing relationship but that's been true with him in every new person he's met. That said, they can be found sunning themselves reading next to each other quite a lot before sleeping each night.

Query and Zaela actually have more or less the same reaction towards Ororo. Deep respect and a desire to help them all become more bad ass. Query's personal interests are intensely private to himself. Even now I have to specifically ask to see his art and Fantasy's campaign has never been spoiled. Zaela's hobbies involve massive destruction and I _know_ she's salivating at sucking Ororo into the next Monster Mash.

But what they both share? The drive to become stronger no matter the effort. And since Zaela defeated her, Ororo has had the same zeal. It was a wake up call that threaded into her emotions throughout the first week anytime we showed her what she could have improved upon. Legendary she might be, but Ororo is deeply humble about becoming a better guardian.

Joker pretty much acted like a butler for the week. I think Aurora is training him to help at her ice cream shop. My zoroark would bring anything Ororo needed, show her how to eat all the new foods that she was exposed to and with as few words as possible explained anything she didn't understand.

Aurora oddly had the least amount of contact with her. I detected a bit of awe from her and I wonder if she was intimidated on how far we've come. I have to remember that she's very new to this world compared to the far past. That said, she was herself whenever I noticed the two kind pokémon conversing. They're very similar in personality so I wasn't worried about them getting along.

Tass though. Shockingly, Ororo and he got along the best. It might have to do on how old they both are but there is something about their calm acceptance and the way they'd speak a bit away from camp at night that suggest they were having a deep discussion on what that meant. To outlive everyone you know. Tass is still the most removed from my family even after all these years but Ororo's presence seems to have mellowed him a bit more. My ghost is still a spiteful thing in his usual ways but the barbs have decreased in this week.

The conversation of the last night is what secures Ororo's place in our family. Everyone has a role. Mothering Aurora. Moral beacon Tru. Sunny, the bright spot in our day. Angel the heart. Query the judge. Joker our protector. Brightscales our pride. Mars, inspiration and our most dedicated planner. Wattson, both our humor and simple decency in one. Tasslehoff, both a lesson in consequences and a hope in one. Zaela, King.

Ororo is our wisdom. And again I'm humbled by how blessed Ella Mita is. It was the night before we left, as I said.

Gazing at the stars is something I don't take for granted in this world. There is so much less artificial light that every evening is clearer than any I can remember from my increasingly fading memories of my first life. Lost in trying to distract myself from the soon to be stressful couple of days coming I manage to not hear nor sense Ororo gently landing next to me. Which actually says a lot of how far she's come in just a week. To land so silently. Air control is her _greatest_ ability and we're gonna abuse the shit out of it against enemies.

But that's not what I thought of at the time. Or even till much later.

"_My trainer." _Her soft voice coming out of nowhere has me jumping but luckily no one saw but her and she's gracious enough not to laugh at me, at least outwardly. I can feel her chuckle in her heart. That's fine though. "_This week has shown me so much. Given me so much. No one treats me differently here. There is respect, certainly, but no awe. I'm me and they accept it. I'm humbly grateful for letting me join your family...but I have some things I _must_ ask and speak of."_

My good eye moves up to her as she walks over to curl up in her wings so her head is right next to me. Ororo, as most legendaries do, has great control over her aura even if she doesn't use aura moves as Tru or I would. I can't really get a read on what she's feeling save for a bit of concern, probably for me.

"Go on." I'm quite curious. "Nothing wrong I hope?"

"_Only that I can't help but notice that you help everyone but yourself. That you go out of your way to reassure everyone here but don't look within or without to deal with whatever is distressing you." _Okay. Whoa. Not just my team has trained over the years. When I was affected so dramatically by Proton in my one and only league challenge I set out to make certain that the emotions of others in extremes wouldn't alter mine again. As an offshoot? I learned to hide my own behind lesser emotions. Say I was stressed? I could think of something happy and push that as my outward aura. Or promote steady confidence to wash over others if we were about to go on a mission. How did she see past that? Tru can't even detect my innermost emotions unless they are truly dire, like with Dad.

"I don't….How...did you see that?" I might have panicked a little. Perhaps my mental shields aren't up to par either? She must have seen something on my face because one massive wing moves over me to cocoon me against her head. The low croon of the song of the Guardian washes over me and I can't help but lay my cheek against her neck.

"_I've been alone for countless seasons dear trainer. Its not hard for me to see someone deep in themselves. It is a lonely job being a Guardian. Any type. Especially one who stands at the top. Your way of distancing yourself is **my** way as well. To smile and give hope to others so that I can feel lighter inside. Less alone for but a moment." _Ororo's eye focuses on mine, her voice crooning still the beautiful notes that restore one's spirit. _"So trust me when I say that it doesn't need to be that way. Slowly I found out how to accept it. Part of it was the promise of you. That someday I **would** have others to know me. But you have that already? So why not lift a bit of your burden Ella?"_

Yeah. I still know nothing still. So confident I was in hiding things. "Its silly right? I've built a lot on the promise of stability from Ella Mita, First Guardian. I know I'm not completely well. That I don't let others share all of this stress. I guess...I just like the idea of who I present than what's buried inside. The fear and worry I let drown me. Plus...I hate being a whiny bitch about it. Because I'm very, very lucky."

Ororo just lets her song fill me up, refreshing my soul or so it feels like. _"Dearest, you need not worry. You'll continue to make mistakes. So stop fearing them. Fear instead what you could lose. Understanding of self. Now. You know the issue and that I know. I will help and let you speak of it all you like. Instead of adding to your worries, which make your nose scrunch in a particularly unattractive way by the way, let us instead simply enjoy becoming closer. I already adore you my trainer."_

Sniffling a bit, I just snuggle in closer to her, letting myself bask in her unleashed aura. Full of simple, steady goodness.

"_...I don't actually know if you're attractive normally. You're literally the third human I've met. So. Are you ugly? I'm curious if people like your color hair. Its not a lovely silver obviously but.."_

It was a fantastic night journal-kun.

Back at the Foundry

She said she wanted to try it. But slowly.

The end.

Okay, I guess you want details journal-kun. I have to hurry though. We're teleporting to the Indigo Plateau in just a bit. Well. Close. Gotta make an entrance.

Flying into the Foundry on Ororo's back was deeply satisfying. I didn't have a huge amount of time to do anything but deal with paperwork and Rina. So the desire to prank people as best I could took me hard.

The first person to reach me was Aurelia and it was fantastic.

"Ella! Did...you just ride in on a -"

"Nope! Joker was trying out a new form. Cool right?"

"Oh..Hah! Of course it wouldn't be...Ella...You have that look in your eyes! Hey!"

"Gotta go!"

A few moments later it was even better.

"Mita! Hnn. I heard a rumor you just flew in on a lugia. You've delighted in trying to give me a heart attack for years so…?"

"Nope! Don't worry Professor Redwood. It wasn't my zoroark trying out a new from at all. It was _actually_ Lugia. Don't worry, I only brainwashed her a little."

"Oh that's good. I don't want to deal with anymore of your shi- WAIT! Come back here MITA!"

A few levels further down I stopped to laugh harder and looked to the nearest Prime console. There are many around the Foundry so people can ask him questions. Whether by typing or verbally.

"Prime? Would you mind making up a few things to tell people if they ask if I rode in on a lugia? Maybe along the lines that it wasn't me but actually Bruno in a wig or something? Or that it was an abino charizard?"

"_Yes! Absolutely! Do you know how long I've researched pranking?! Query said it was one of your purest joys! On it First Guardian!"_ The screeching metallic laughter that follows has me a _bit_ worried but I ignore it, tapping a message to Rina that I was back and to meet me in my quarters in fifteen or so minutes.

The Order knows I like to prank. Everyone does really. Sampson complained about it enough that it got around.

Imagining of all the delightful misinformation I've set about keeps my mind off of the possibility I've made things awkward with one of my closest friends for...ever. Sorta. Somewhat. Everyone in my apartment are hidden away in their rooms though I can tell Tru is metaphorically listening at the door with her aura sense. Which is fine actually. I'm going to cry in her fur no matter what answer Rina gives, good or bad. Stupid stress.

As usual Rina just pops in but she's joined by her houndoom. Which I immediately know means she's just as nervous as myself even without looking at her emotions. Its so odd that her most cuddly partner is one she was terrified of as a child. That shaped so much of her trauma. Houndoom immediately moves to slobber all over my face which has me snickering despite the coming conversation. Rina's voice is rather put out when she finally speaks, not bothering to save me from her partner.

"I finally manage to master miracle eye to bring him along out of his ball and distract myself from what must be said so of course you ignore me instantly for cuddles." I just give her a grin, sputtering a bit from hell hound licks.

"But he's just so cute, yes he is. Aren't you buddy?"

"_Yes! I am! Love me!"_

Laughing, I translate for Rina and she just sighs. The moment lasts longer than I deserve and she returns him a bit after, the mood immediately shifting to awkward. Cause its us. Huzzah.

"Soooo..."

"Uh huh."

"I guess we should…?"

"Absolutely,"

"You wanna go first?"

"No."

"But you have to. I confessed. You respond. Its how this goes."

"Yes, but I've never done this before."

"And I have?"

"You went out with-"

"No! I've never done this with you. That's the difference Rina."

We pause there, finally stopping to really feel something. Her body language relaxes a bit. Like a cat slowly thinking a person might be truly friendly my dear Rina sets herself right next to me.

Her voice is low and utterly nervous. "The week did absolutely nothing. I thought and thought and _felt_ and it didn't go anywhere. I needed you here to really decide."

The way she's acting is killing me. These days she's always touchy-feely. Constantly hugging me or snuggling in. Bright and open. She's going to say no. Even more, she's blocking me from sensing her.

So I don't say anything. Just listen.

"You know how much you mean to me. How much I _know _you saved me. And its so gratifying how close we are." I still quite a bit as her delicate hand moves up to pull my hair out of its bun, spilling the deceptively long hair down my back. Her smooth palm slips over my cheek and pulls me in to rest her forehead against my own. "I don't desire people as others do. No one understands me. How can that lead to mutual respect and more? But you do. You know me more than I do myself."

Suddenly bold, she pulls my trembling hand around her waist, then the other before she tilts her head downwards, her eyes searching my single one.

"I love you Ella. Desperately. You're my world and I know that worries you. Its not romantic, I don't know what that is yet, but its _committed_. I believe in you. Not the Guardians. I'm here for you. Not the world. I will never be simple nor normal but...Ella Mita. Neither are you. I don't know what I'm doing but I do know that I want it to be with you. Just...Slowly. Because I doubt we'll have anything like anybody else's relationship." Rina is breathtakingly gorgeous and it shows in her eyes right now more than anything else. On her lips. On the blush across her cheeks. I feel like I'm barely breathing and that I don't need to.

"So I'll be yours. I've always been yours. Just not as anything more than a friend. So...patience save for this." My eye widens as she climbs onto my lap, pressing her form to mine and letting her walls fall. Love and reverence flow over my senses with intensity that would probably worry a normal person. But she's right. We're so far different than anyone we know.

Her lips are exactly as I expected. So very soft. Perfect. The kiss fits so well with her when she's decided something. Firm, passionate and without a single hint of fear. I rise to it, clutching her to me as all I can think about is how badly I've wanted something for myself. Rose never made me feel like this. Like another half. Later I'd make sure to ground myself. To know that its just the start and that we'd need to explore it slowly but in the moment I couldn't think of or feel anything but Rina.

I'm not sure how long we were there, wrapped in each other's arms and letting ourselves go in ways we couldn't with anyone else but each other. It felt like forever and even now I can taste her lips on mine. I've got it bad. Eventually though we had to split, desires pushing us hard to go further and both of us knowing we were far from ready. But we didn't part far.

Her hair felt perfect running through my fingers as I watched her snuggle a bit into my neck.

"Wow."

"Yes."

Shifting a bit more so she could lay more firmly on top of me Rina peers up with the one eye she can see me with.

"I'm going to sleep. Every night of you away had me tossing and turning, imagining I couldn't be what you wanted." The smile on her face says that those doubts are gone and she giggles in pure joy. Its a sound that I know only perhaps myself and her parents are allowed to hear. Fuck paperwork. I'll happily let her stay in my arms for as long as she wants. We've napped together before as friends but this...intimacy, is the perfect balm to my emotions.

"I'll be here when you wake up. Rest girlfriend."

"...not the best line you've got there."

"Yeah I'm sorry. I mean. You are though right? Uhm. Hun?"

"...No. I mean yes. Just no to 'hun'. I _am_ your girlfriend now but how are you so bad at nicknames for this? You did well with your pokémon."

"Uh. I'll think about it while you're sleeping?"

Giggling again, she just nods and bites one of my fingers gently as it continues to stroke her long, lovely hair. Humming random notes Rina passes out pretty quickly and...sappy as I am now apparently, the next few hours of watching her sleep are the happiest and most peaceful ones I've had in ages. Slowly? She wants me to go slowly and pulls this shit?

I'm fucked.

Next Day

Needless to say I didn't get much done. Not that I care. There were a few things past that we discussed. We wouldn't hide our relationship but we wouldn't throw it in anyone's face either. I still had to talk to Rose about it. We knew we weren't going to be together a while ago but still...Don't want her to hear about it from anyone else.

Rina, showing she's already a fantastic girlfriend, helped me do a bit of my work. We touched a lot. Nothing past what would be appropriate in front of others but it was still thrilling. How did I live without snuggles before? Well. Rina snuggles. Sunny snuggles are pretty fantastic actually.

Anyway, it was sweet how she fell into it easy. Most of my family were very happy about it. Still not Query but he's always polite. Someday I hope he explains why he doesn't approve of Rina. She seems to know or have a good idea why as well but refuses to tell me. Saying that Query is the one who deserves to explain.

I don't let it bother me. Especially when its just a few hours from one of the most important moments in the Order's history. Expansion into another Region. Assuming I don't fuck it up.

Luckily I've got my girlfriend coming with me now. Oh she was already going as the Guardian of Arts but I can't help but feel her aura firmly supporting me now.

Yeah. We're going to succeed.

* * *

Blue

Indigo Plateau

If someone had told Blue Oak that the most troublesome person for his job as adviser to President Goodshow would be a sixteen year old girl? Not to his leadership of ACE. No. They all seem to love her Order. He'd have called them crazy at such insane predictions. Add on that they started the trouble at age eleven and that his own wife would happily follow said person into chaos? Well he'd have laughed at the person until tears soaked his shirt. He doesn't even want to think of his daughter. Grateful as he is for Mita's zoroark and to how Daisy has grown so self-sufficient he can't help but turn his thoughts a bit towards suspicion.

Which is why he's now standing here outside the League Headquarters in Indigo with a surprisingly large pit of dread in his belly. The Silver Guardians have done a lot of good. Its hard to argue that and utterly impossible to keep it from being know by everyone. The rise of Querynet and the sheer number of true instances of aide the Guardians have accomplished in these past five years makes bringing any sort of true political pressure on them. That the League has _still_ not found their main base is another huge lack of control Johto doesn't have upon the private organization.

Oh, and the current Champion is the First Guardian's cousin. Handsome, powerful and a Master of Dragons, Lance is incredibly popular. The Champion travels across both regions constantly, seeking out issues that others would ignore, bringing discipline to all that are under his purview. Since Lance has taken over there has been a dramatic increase in Gym revisions, less criminal activity and a significant lowering in wild pokémon attacks.

But more so in Johto than in Kanto. Because of the Guardians. Johto is a more traditional region where Lance has quite a lot more power. He strong armed approval for his cousin's Order to take up semi-official duties within Johto cities and towns. Which frankly, the people loved him for it. Heroic Guardians brought to your cities by Lance Blackthorn, Dragon Master! Their popularity skyrocketed almost overnight.

He can't help but look to his right at the Champion, dressed in his usual attire and that fucking cape. Sighing lightly, he turns to his left and wonders what his boss is thinking. President Goodshow has a great poker face and despite the gravity of the upcoming talks the President is in very casual clothes. Silent behind him is Koga, representing the gym leaders. As usual he's entirely stoic and looks for all the world that he was carved from a stone where he stands. The last of their party is the leader of the Jenny clan in Kanto. Older than the usual Jenny you would find within a town or city, the severe look on her face makes him think she's not going to be a fan of what the Order wishes to say.

Its not even as if Blue disagrees or that he thinks there is anything sinister about the Order. They have lucario and gardevoir as common partners. The Lucario Kingdom recognizes their authority over all of their subjects. Its just seems too good to be true. Thus these discussions in the more regulated Kanto Region. Thus him waiting with the President, pondering the last argument he had with Leaf. Fighting and making up is often how they deal with issues but he was feeling rather suffocated by all things 'Mita'. Even his father heavily supports the Guardians.

Perhaps he's just letting things get to him. The only thing that he absolutely knows that he's concerned about is that most Johto Rocket Bases were totaled in methodical fashion and with very little regard for enemy lives. Blue learned long ago that the pokémon is not cute and cuddly as it is advertised. Death comes easily in a lot of situations and he remembers vividly Red's haunted looks about some of what he saw taking on the last incarnation of Team Rocket. Its just...concerning that a private Order is able to do what the League has not been able to and seemingly much easier. Most trainers are authorized to kill if its in defense but the Order seeks out Rockets and does not show mercy.

Sadly, he's pretty certain the public would be quite approving of no mercy against the terrorist group that has so deeply rooted itself in Kanto.

"_Master. I...They are coming. Such power. I..I've never felt such presence. No danger. Just...Is."_ The normally monotone mental voice of his alakazam has Blue on edge even more. What now? What more will this gir-no...Woman show them?

Stepping out of the shade of the large building that houses most of the Kanto's government, Blue scans the skies and doesn't have to wait long. The first to appear is Mita's massive King garchomp. Its gotten even bigger and more impressive since the last time he saw it. The speed it approaches at is staggering and it looks as if it will smash into the building if not for the way it banks carefully with surprising grace. On is...her back is an old grizzled lucario who obviously is from the Kingdom from the special sash..he wears.

Second to appear is a massive gyarados flying through the air with ease. From a good distance away he recognizes Bruno. Its hard not to given how famous he is. He's defeated Elite Four members in random battles in dangerous training grounds even before he joined the Order.

Third, flying without the aid of a pokémon (which he certainly doesn't gape at) is someone that Blue only has a bit of information about. Sabrina of the Saffron Natsume's was an early psychic prodigy and then vanished for the most part as soon as she was defeated by Ella Mita during a League Conference in Johto. She's been sighted sparingly during heavy Guardian operations, usually directing psychic pokémon in relief efforts but she obviously is quite important to the Order if she's coming to the meeting.

"So that's the power? She must be particularly strong if she can fly like that just with her abilities." Though he knows his pokémon can hear his thoughts Blue generally prefers speaking aloud.

"_Forgive me Master, but strong as she is, you should look upwards."_

Squinting a bit Blue's eyes immediately pop open in shock. The Champion has a different response to the Lugia slowly descending from the sky.

"'I'll fight you when I get my last family member' she says. 'It'll be worth the wait' she says. Damnit." Some time later Blue will think about those words but he's simply awed by the Guardian of the Sea's presence. He's come in contact with a few legendary pokémon before but none with the utter pressure that this Lugia has. Ella Mita (he assumes as the figure is wearing a dragon-like helm) calmly slips from her mount's back, easily handling what should be a jarring fall with a visible pulse of aura.

What she's wearing is telling. Some sort of scale-like armor with a similar Blackthorn cape of obvious heavy weave or mesh. Gleaming metal shoulder guards, gauntlets gleam with some material he can't readily identify and he's gone a hunting often with his steelix for mega stones. A small rod of the same material is attached to her practical looking belt with an odd buckle that looks more like a small LED screen. At the chest is a projected symbol, the twelve sided star of the Silver Guardians. Before he can think to speak his boss snorts.

"Always have to make an entrance, don't you First Guardian?" There is grudging respect in the President's voice but he doesn't sound as annoyed as Blue expects. Lawmaster Jenny though is quite a bit more hostile.

"First Guardian? She's just a child who has too much power. Or luck. Or-"

"_I was unaware that humans had such poor manners. I am Ororo. Guardian of the Whirl Islands and this is my trainer, quite happily so, the indeed _First Guardian _Ella Mita. With her is the Guardian of Deeds, Bruno."_ The gentle but deep tones of the legendary's mental voice pauses as she looks at the massive man. Who of course is only wearing simple white pants and a long belt. Does he never wear shoes?

"_Forgive me. Bruno with no last name. Continuing, there is the Guardian of Guardians Auron." _She again pauses as the battered, older lucario gives a short bow. _"And lastly the Guardian of Arts, Sabrina Natsume"_

The monotone voice that comes next sends chills down Blue's neck. It matches the cold beauty of the young woman. She looks about Ella's age and is frankly beyond lovely in the way a sculpture is. Imitating life but ethereal in its stillness. He's quite used the tone as she speaks as well.. Any psychic pokémon capable of speech has that twinge of power behind it. Save the lugia. She sounds quite personable.

"Hello. It is good to meet you all." Yeah, Blue doesn't think so. He's not sure if she even has emotions. Alakazam subtly floats closer to his side, obviously a quite uneasy about how strong the woman is if he is ignoring the psychic legendary to concentrate on Natsume. He wishes he'd have brought his starter with him. Not for a fight but Blastoise always is so utterly unruffled by everything. He could uses some of that stability.

"_If you would oblige, I would greatly appreciate knowing who you all might be. My dearest trainer only just caught me a week ago and we've spent most of that time training. I was unable to study important figures in this new world I'm joining."_ Blue has to hand it to Mita. Its a hell of a power move. One of the most known benevolent legendaries so obviously in her corner after merely a week. Its extraordinarily hard for a psychic to lie mentally and what's more, even if they are closely allied, the grizzled lucario would call out a deception.

In other circumstances, seeing President Goodshow look somewhat abashed and embarrassed would be quite amusing but all Blue Oak can think of is that they know _nothing_ about the Guardians.

"Right. Of course. I am President Goodshow of the International Pokémon League...Forgive me Ororo was it? Do you need an explanation of what that means?" Okay, good. His boss is switching into diplomacy, treating the legendary as she should be. A power that trumps nations.

"_That is quite kind of you. Do not worry, my Ella is telling me what it means through our link. Of course I would not be so crass as to try and pull such things from all of yourselves."_ The certainty that she could is there. Absolutely.

"Right...Ahem. Well, this is Champion Lance Wataru of both Johto and Kanto. Heir to the Blackthorn Clan." Lance merely grumbles, his face moving briefly to bow respectfully to Ororo but then immediately return to glaring at his cousin. Zero chance he knew about how this would start. Lance didn't get where he is by being manipulative. No, he pulled himself to the pinnacle with pure power. He doesn't need anything else.

"Behind me is Koga of the Fuchia gym and Poison Master. He's representing his fellows." Naturally the man simply nods, barely. " The woman to my side is Lawmaster Rebecca Jenny. She leads the clan that controls most of our police forces within Kanto."

As expected, she just scowls at the First Guardian once more but wisely she does give a respectful bow to the legendary.

"Finally, Blue Oak, Former Champion of Kanto and leader of ACE within the region." At that Blue turns on the charm that his family is known for when they are doing what the believe in.

"Hello again Ella. Its been some time. And it is very, very good to meet you Ororo. I'm certain you'll get there in time but I know my father would love to meet you at his lab." None of his shock shows anymore and it does get Mita to finally move, reaching up to tap a button on the side of her neck. With a snap and hiss the dragon jaws that make up her helm retract and slide away, spilling her honey colored hair over her shoulders and exposing the one-eyed young woman. The intense single purple eye snaps to him and fades into warmth.

"It has, hasn't it Mr. Oak? Sampson sends his regards and I think you'll be happy to know that Daisy should be coming home for a visit in a couple days." Right. Bitch. Reminding him how close she is to his daughter. No...Not bitch. He can't let his worry about how quickly the Guardians gained power override what is plainly in front of him. Legendary support. Emotion pokémon clearly trusting the Order.

"That's good to hear. Thank you. I'll try and get Leaf to come home for it as well." The slight sigh that comes from that brings his humor right back up. At the best of times Leaf will run over anyone's life with her overwhelming personality and zest for life.

"_I am quite glad to meet you as well Mister Oak. If it isn't too much trouble I would like to participate in these discussions. I know that means we'll likely have to talk here but I'm sure our Guardian of Arts could help make things more comfortable?" _As if this weren't of course planned, Ororo makes it almost a challenge to the psychic woman. _"If, of course, you don't mind President?"_

Its clear his boss doesn't want to agree but the game plan was not to be combative. Or so he thinks. The Lawmaster is obviously hostile and he can't help but wonder if Goodshow brought her along to see what would happen. The surprise lugia probably took the bite out of that plan most likely though.

"Of course. Even if these talks are not exactly the most pleasant there is no reason we can't be civil." That's the truth as well. Whatever his concerns, Blue knows how much the President loves this world. He'll bend quite a bit to keep it safe...Just, are the Guardians worthy of what they will ask?

Without moving her gaze from where she's having a stare down with the Lawmaster, Sabrina raises a delicate looking hand and snaps her fingers. The pulse of energy is so great that even he feels it. Glancing quickly to his sides the others did too. Comfortable chairs pop up around a huge circular wooden table decorated with carvings of the pokémon that are most commonly found following Guardians. Finger food of different varieties show up in front of each person's labeled seat. It takes Blue a moment to realize that the food is based on where the person presumably was raised. Its would be quite hospitable but its just underlining that the Order are not just a simple organization.

Rather than let his unease show he takes his seat and nibbles on the pastries he vaguely recognizes from a restaurant that his father often goes for snacks he probably shouldn't have. Despite herself, the Lawmaster is sorely tempted by the fruit that is placed in front of her.

Ella calmly sits in her chair after lifting her gauntlet and returning her charizard and garchomp with beams flowing from her fingers which just adds to the list of new techniques and technology they obviously have access to. She then enjoys watching her fellow Guardians relax into their own seats. Save Sabrina who crosses her legs and floats mid-air, carefully nibbling on a peach she pulls to herself. Bruno doesn't bother eating, just turning his slow gaze along the League side of the table, pausing to give Lance a particularly slow nod of respect. Auron finally speaks up, the aura laden voice sounding like a man even older than the President.

"_I know we are coming down hard with what we are capable of. Let us stop playing games."_ His eyes actually turn to Mita who huffs and nods, obviously a bit annoyed. Pleased, he continues. _"I am the former ambassador to Sinnoh from the Lucario Kingdom." _He pauses as everyone upon Blue's side of the table digest that. _"Please forgive the theatrics but the first year of our work it was remarkably common to have people underestimate our capabilities. They've only since grown as well."_

"Oh? And is that a threat? Not so subtle, showing how far back you've dug up my own personal like of these berries. Hmm? How long did it take you-" She's interrupted by Sabrina's soft, even voice.

"Excuse me Lawmaster, but it was not spycraft or anything so involved. I simply looked ahead a few minutes to see what you would all prefer if I asked." The complete confidence in Natsume's voice that much more intimidating. He can't help but speak up.

"Isn't that a bit...mundane for such an ability? Even if we're to ignore just how terrifying such a power is." The Lawmaster makes a noise of agreement, likely a bit off balance at another casual drop of information. Five years of barely anything of their true potential and suddenly the Guardians are forthcoming about their highest officers' incredible strength.

Sabrina's voice is very matter-of-fact. It would be bored but that would be an actual emotion to show and its clear the psychic keeps those close to the chest, if she has them at all. "It was very easy. As if I were simply breathing. Why wouldn't I cultivate a gift and use it to help the Order?"

Koga grunts and his cool, serene tone echoes out, "Interesting how free you all are with information now. It has been a considerable struggle learning anything about the Guardians past what actions, which admittedly have been quite popular with the average person in Johto, you've accomplished. It is safe to say that your goal is not that of say, a terrorist Team but clarity would be quite welcome."

The unsaid words that it is almost a demand silence the group for a bit until Rebecca lets out a calmer, if still biting question.

"Who are you to say you get to judge Kanto?"

Lance's voice is biting. "The President and myself. I know you think that they're going to override the spirit of the law within the region, possibly even replace your clan. Its not true, despite what you think. In Johto the Order has gone out of their way to involve local law enforcement. You know this. So say what you are really concerned about Lawmaster Jenny."

Now giving the Champion a look no one would enjoy seeing from an Officer, she simply closes her mouth and looks back across to stare at the First Guardian.

Surprisingly, Bruno is next to add to the discussion. "I'm a simple man. Or was. Many of you know of me from my wanderings. It was the word of a lucario that had me join the Order. Respect and trust. Its so often neglected in the world. It is why I've done my best to not be a part of anything that stands for something. The more people involved in an ideal, the more likely for it to be an excuse. To corrupt what it should have stood for. Assuming it was a good idea in the first place. The Lawmaster fears we are zealots with too much power."

Blue just stares. There is a reason that Bruno is known far and wide as a deeply wise person.

"We do have much power. Accept it. But judge how we've used it. Fears of the future pull away from the clarity you speak of Koga. Caution is never unwarranted but it should not be your primary focus. I believe in the Guardians. That is all I have come to say."

And like the man he is known to be he releases his gyarados, ignoring how Auron sighs, Mita facepalms and Sabrina simply gives him a small wave, seemingly amused. The first bit of emotion Blue's noticed.

Koga shifts a bit, seemingly thoughtful as everyone considers the Fighting Master's words as he hops onto his pokémon and heads towards Mt. Silver. Likely for the training he's also famous for.

Mita speaks up then, driving another bit of shock into the group. Auron puts his paw over his snout with another deep sigh, so perhaps the Order isn't planning _everything_ in the way they're going about this meeting.

"How about some clarity then? I can feel negative emotions from sapient creatures within a five mile radius if I so desire. Ri-Sabrina here can calculate at the speed of a metang. She should know, she raised a beldum to a metagross. As did I. I made drastic mistakes when I first met you President Goodshow. I hid and plotted because I thought you would underestimate me or worse, say no to what I wanted to do." Closing her eye, the girl changes in subtle ways that add up to a dramatic transformation. The calm, powerful First Guardian in battle-ready armor and the trainer of three of the strongest pokémon he's seen since meeting Lance or even his old friend Red all those years ago becomes softer. More open.

In a pleading sort of voice, she stares directly towards the President. Emotions flood out of her, exposing them to all listening. The pulse of regret is first and then the naked desire to help all that need it. A deep sense of service along with firm determination. Nothing overrides Blue's emotions but its a heady experience. Almost intimate.

"Since I was young I've driven myself to bring back Aura Guardians. To bridge the gap between pokémon and humans greater than it already is. To defend in a way that sadly, is lacking. Teams have come about with frightening regularity within the last century. Before, Aura Guardians were a huge deterrent to such acts. Because aura cannot be blocked. Its life." Pausing, her single eye flickers a bit, sad for some reason and it shows in the way she continues to let them all feel her heart. "I've made a mistake President Goodshow. I ruined your first impression of me. But far more important is I ruined your image of the Silver Guardians."

Still locked in place by the heavy regret that dominates the First Guardian's emotions, none of them interrupt her.

"It is a hard truth what I ask for. The authority that would be given to an Aura Guardian in the past. The ability to judge and sentence without oversight. I could argue that as an Aura Guardian its my right." Her hand moves up, the infamous glow of her hand that she's used many times to prove what she's capable of. "These aren't those days though. Today Team Rocket has incredible resources, are unfortunately competent for the most part and have zero restrictions on reaching their goals. We all know this. Because of that, I ask for even more. The ability to go where I want with strike teams built to eliminate threats. As I have led in Johto to a Rocket-free region. That is what I wish."

Blue can't help but look at his boss, noting that Lance doesn't seem surprised by the request, nor Koga but the Lawmaster is choking a bit on the words. Honestly, they all knew this but hearing it come from Ella Mita herself and so pleadingly was unexpected.

President Goodshow looks quite thoughtful more than taken aback. The next words give Rebecca more to choke on and she almost immediately tries to interrupt, quieting at Goodshow's hand raising for her to stop.

"And what do we get in return? You are asking much. To give you something that not even Lance can do. Even I cannot simply go up and order someone killed. I trust you believe you are doing what's right….I even think you probably are but again you are correct. Your first decision as a leader of your Order was poor. Give me something else."

The First Guardian simply nods, looking to the still floating Sabrina. An obviously next-age tech datapad teleports in front of the President. Everyone is quiet as he scans it with increasing shock.

"Is this all true?"

"Yes. Verified three times over. We're not a military organization primarily. We're just very good at it."

Goodshow numbly hands him the datapad. Blue stares at his boss for a few more minutes and starts reading.

The first list alone has him almost spitting out a curse.

The list states which businesses the Order owns. Querynet. New medical technologies that are driving potions and the like down in prices at rates that let any trainer easily purchase the best for their teams. New sensors that detect pokémon for airplanes at a huge distance (one of the largest causes of death by pokémon are aerial crashes). On and on, investments that Blue quickly realizes makes the people and pokémon across the table insanely more influential than he expected.

"We're working to better the world Mister President. Let us. Secrecy in some things _must_ remain within the Order. Some of our command staff cannot be known for some time due to their value. Until Team Rocket is dealt with I can't give you my full trust but I will give you the same vow I give to all that I seek to protect."

Standing, First Guardian Ella Mita moves around the table, her lugia humming softly a song that seems to pull every bit of hope Blue's ever had into his heart to this single moment. Once she reaches his boss, she kneels before him as he shifts his chair to face her. Lowering her gaze to her feet, her tone shifts back to the formal, confident tone she greeted them with.

"Upon my life, I swear to live up to the ideals of Aura. That all life is precious but cannot be defended without sacrifice. I take on any burden necessary. I harm only if no other choice. And I vow that any and all under my command follow these same ideals or face the same consequences as any other who break faith with common decency and respect. Do you accept my vow President Goodshow? Will you let me help you and Kanto purge Team Rocket once and for all? But more importantly, will you work with me to make the world a better place?

Once her last, reverent words end the single purple eye of the First Guardian raises to regard the man she should have trusted five years ago. Blue can tell how hard his boss is thinking right now. One of the most powerful people on the planet is before him as if he were deciding the rest of her life. Why did he suspect her so? She makes mistakes. Just as everyone does. She probably does have too much power but he can't deny how many things behind her speak of the right intentions.

He's going to have to apologize to his wife and daughter far more than he would like. Blue isn't quite a full believer but glancing at the lugia, still uplifting them, even the Lawmaster with a song of unearthly beauty, to the proud lucario gazing at Mita with obvious approval of her actions, he can't help but think he's been a fool. That the history of corruption, crime and disaster that he's dealt with in ACE for years blinded him to dreaming of a better future. Finding the soft smile of pride on Natsume's face as she gazes at the still kneeling Ella pulls another sigh from him. There will be a lot of crow to be had.

Goodshow's voice snaps him back to the drama of the moment. His boss' tone is thick with emotion. Perhaps the old man is thinking much the same as Blue is. Why _can't_ they simply get along and do what is needed and right?

"First Guardian Mita. The Silver Guardians are welcome in Kanto. Thank you for your service."

Ella Mita rises. Her Guardians do as well. She bows deeply in thanks and they follow.

"Thank you for your trust. I shall hold it sacred. We've much to plan."

"That we do."

* * *

Guardian

Back at the Foundry

The following days were tedious but needed journal-kun. After the rolling the dice vow I made succeeded, aided by Ororo immensely, things became much easier. Ways to interface with local law enforcement was rigidly fought for by the Lawmaster but were more or less the same unofficial rules we have in Johto.

Arranging for help installing the technology that I had put as incentives within the data I shared doubled as ways for us to plan out Chapterhouses. I even caved and let the President come to the Foundry or rather would later. We're a bit to busy now to schedule any time off. Or at least, I would be if it weren't for the promise I have to honor.

After the three days of debating and planning were done Lance finally pulled me aside for what I know he's been after since he saw me fly in on Ororo.

My hero's grumpy face is hilarious by the way.

"So. Cousin. Did you have to start things that way?" Mmm. Yesss. Glare at me cousin. It feeds my soul!

"I don't know what you mean Lanceypants. Do tell me." My eye must have twinkled far too happily cause his face soured even more. Also, when did he get so tall?

"A bit of warning of the _legendary_ over there would have been appreciated." I ignore his poopy face and glance to where Ororo is happily asking the President questions that seem to amuse the old man quite a bit from how his emotions spike.

"Naw. Less fun that way. And it sent a good opening message. Don't worry hero. I'm going to give you our much needed battle. One week from now. In Pallet. I've got business I've put off too long there." My palm, luckily not wearing my gauntlets anymore, goes up to slap over his mouth before he can protest. "There is a legendary dragon at the Oak Ranch. I put her there. If you wait a week her _brother_ will show up too."

"...I equally love and hate you Ella. Fine. But I want a six on six." I might have bit my lip there. I don't honestly know if I can defeat Lance. Those first seven years were harsh training. Only a few of my family have kept it up. Lance, I know, has not stopped. Every day for him is about pushing further. I'm absolutely certain if it were a team battle I'd crush him. I'm not sure anything can stop my family if they fight together. But single matches? Well. Maybe a loss will be good for some of my family. Though. Mars, Zaela and Query are probably fine. Ororo too probably. Okay. Less worried.

"You got it. Though, want me to use Ororo? She lost to Zaela one on one but I had to mega-evolve her. Plus, frankly, I'm not satisfied with her training yet." Lance's brows raise for a moment as he considers, then shakes his head.

"Then as punishment for taking years to offer this fight I'll fight her sometime in the future. Deal little cousin?" He's calling me little as in my size. Not the age. The ass. Still, I shake his hand then immediately jab my elbow into his gut for the teasing.

"Sounds great hero! Okay gonna go gather everyone. I think that if I stay any longer the Lawmaster's head will pop with how much blood has been going to it." So maybe I should be careful with how I tag people. Bit wheezy there aren't you Lance?

A few formal goodbyes later and a quick trip on Angel Teleportation Travels gives me a snuggling girlfriend in my apartment and a long, long night of rest. The relief is almost visible or so Rina teased me with.

The next day had me catching up on paperwork and some other meetings with the command staff. Koga arrived late with word as to how the President was taking things without us being there. I had a bit of guilt that I'd taken Koga's loyalty from Kanto but I did warn Goodshow that some things had to stay hidden. Koga will be away from the Foundry for a while. We don't know where Team Rocket's spies in the government could be besides Giovanni so our Guardian of Knowledge was going to keep a close eye on things as we begin our push.

The next day had myself heading out to another major goal of my new life. Probably the most important after finding my family.

Time to meet Ash Ketchum, the Chosen One.

...and seriously try and get him to be smarter. Holy shit.

* * *

Ash

Oak Ranch

Its been a good year. Ash can't believe how much fun he's had. All because he made three new friends after that jerk Gary decided they weren't best buds anymore. Sure, they always got into trouble more together than not but it was _together._ Gary and Ash. Joined at the hip.

But something changed. Gary became...Meaner and didn't enjoy their adventures anymore. Instead he's studying more and talking about his last name all the time. Like a jerk. He's a jerk.

Thinks were entirely blah for a good while until just before the Pokémon Summer Camp Ash had been looking forwards to for ages. His mother would often send him to the Professor's lab when she had to work or on the weekends which suited Ash just fine. Ever since he could remember he loved pokémon of all shapes and sizes. Ugly, terrifying, cute or strange, it didn't matter. And it seemed like they liked him too!

It was one day a few months after Gary started being a butt head that everything changed. For a while Ash had felt like he was being followed as he explored the parts of the Ranch that he was allowed. Sure, he would often wander off and get into trouble but it always worked out. And at all times he felt like someone was watching over him. Protecting him.

Eventually he had enough of the curiosity and hid himself as best he could and waited, making sure he was in an out of the way area so none of the pesky adults could interfere in his adventure!

The patience was well reward, even if he hand to bite his own shirt to keep from making groaning noises at the _minutes_ he had to stay still. Two pretty pokémon he'd never seen before walked carefully after the path he took, obviously chattering to each other, even if only one of them spoke. Pink and cream fur with waving ribbons, he just _knew_ if they let him pet them that the pokémon would be softer than a skitty.

Springing from his hiding places he thrust his finger out and in his most excited voice he declared…

"Hey! Are you the ones following me? Cause...Uhm. Hi! I'm Ash!" So he didn't think of what to say. It was fine! Both of the pokémon jumped a bit but the one who actually seemed to talk recovered quick and started giggling or so he thinks. All he hear is 'sylvsylveonsylv' but the tone of it was happy he was sure!

Approaching him, the talkative one waved her ribbon like feelers up and he didn't hesitate to take them in his hands. Nor did he give pause when the pokémon started to pull him around in a happy dance. Laughter came to him easily and he just _had_ to find out from the Professor later what type of pokémon this was. Maybe it belonged to a trainer because it was obviously used to human contact.

What happened next shocked him quite hard.

"_She is. Her name is Sunshine but everyone calls her Sunny. Uhm. I'm Lati." _The voice was _very_ shy. He knew that cause some of the girls at school get that way. Blinking hard, he looks at the silent one and lets go of a ribbon to muffled protest to point.

"Did you just talk to me?! That's amazing! I'm Ash! Oh..I said that already. What are you two?" He's interrupted by what seems like a mini-lecture of 'sylvsylveonsylv' over and over from the one he's still somewhat dancing with.

"Huh?"

"_Uhm. Sylveon is the species name. A fairy pokémon. And she is complaining that you don't understand her. That...you feel like her Mom. So obviously you shoul-really Sunny? Oh! Well. She says you should be able to understand her and its really rude of you not to if you have aura like her Mom."_

Lati sounds like Gary used to when he was translating Ash-speak as he called it. Scratching the back of his head, Ash blinks, confused.

"What's Aura?"

More Sunny talk, this time in a tone as if giving an evil school lecture had him looking at Lati for more translation.

"_She says' Aura is a fluffy feeling of emotions mostly. That her Mom uses it to connect her heart to a pokémon so she can talk to them. Then she talked a bunch about how she couldn't remember what her Mom's title was besides 'Mom' then when she jumped up and down said her Mom is Ella Mita, Aura Guardian."_

Ash's jaw dropped. Aura Guardians were all around the pokémon channel on TV since he could remember! And Ella Mita was their leader! Wait!

"Are….are you saying I could learn to talk to pokémon?! Wait! How are you talking to me? Do you have aura?!" Now he was jumping up and down with Sunny in excitement.

Lati seemed to shrink a bit at that and shake her head. _"Uhm. No. I'm psychic like an alakazam or hypno. I'm talking directly into your mind."_

Pausing in his jumping, Ash's hand came up to his chin in deep thought. There was something fishy here. Psychic. Sylveon. Lati. Sunny. Fairy. Psychic. Aura.

"Wait! You said she was fairy! And you're psychic! So which is the real one?"

Lati again seemed to draw back and he winced a bit. "I'm sorry. I got excited. You don't have to tell me. We can just be friends! Its nice enough that I get to talk to someone." Ash' idly digs his shoe into the dirt, trying not to sound too lonely. Stupid jerk Gary.

"_No...Its okay. I'm...something else. I can look like whatever I want. And Sunny says you probably have aura. That she's been around it all her life. So uh. I could ask Tru, one of Sunny's teammates, for a few pointers. You could also ask Professor Oak's lucario for help too."_

Ash grinned at that, quite happy at the idea. "Galahad is great! I always feel like he stares at me a lot though. Oh! He can use aura right? Cause he talks to me? Or wait...Psychic? No...You said to ask him about aura. Got it."

"_Sunny says she likes how you speak everything you are thinking. Its very truthful. And then said that was a pun...I don't understand that one there. Uhm...And...I'd love to be your friend. Sunny says she would too."_

Ash couldn't believe it. His heart soared and the rest of the day was talking with who would become his two best friends in the world until the Summer Camp. Then he'd have three. Sunny wouldn't always be there as she was a trainer's pokémon which he understood. There were a few growlithe he liked to play with that got rotated out a lot to one of Professor Oak's research assistants.

The months flew by and while he couldn't see Sunny all the time he spent pretty much every hour he could exploring the Ranch with Lati coming along. Galahad didn't seem at all surprised at Ash's request to learn aura speaking and it was possibly the first thing in the world Ash was completely focused on without complaint.

Mastering the ability was hard and he had to change his way of thinking. To be patient and let things flow through him. Learn meditation. It was the hardest thing he's ever had to do but it was worth it. So worth it. He finished just in time for the Summer Camp and Sunny had made sure she timed it so she could sneak in to help him with the wild pokémon they would be asked to look after. Pretty much everything in the Ranch gave her a wide berth. When he asked why she just muttered something about demonstrating her 'Super-Mega Star Moon Power Sunny Shocker' which sounded _awesome_. Sadly when he asked if she could show him she got all pouty and said she was politely asked by Professor Oak's charizard not to scare everyone again.

It just made him want to see it all the more but he'd never push her on it. Even if he didn't think she'd abandon him like Gary he was scared of saying the wrong thing.

The day of the Camp had him alone on the first task, Lati having gone to get Sunny. Naturally, he more or less ignored the adults about leaving the area and quickly ran after a poliwag about the only thing he remembered from what he was supposed to look for. Plus he hadn't gotten to talk to many water pokémon yet. Maybe they could tell him where to fish!

Ash wasn't at all worried about Lati or Sunny not finding him. Lati assured him that she could find him anywhere in Pallet Town. Whistling a tune Ash couldn't have been happier, at least until he hear crying. A girl! Recently Ash has been very much considering wanting to be an Aura Guardian _and_ a Pokémon Master. Sunny said her Mom wasn't just an Aura Guardian so he was pretty sure he could do it. And Guardians helped people!

Racing along he found the girl. Vaguely he recognized her from the group at the start of camp. She was pretty, wearing a dress and a wide sunhat. Long blonde hair and bright eyes. Recently Galahad had started teaching him something called Aura Sight and Ash's normally red eyes flashed a bit with blue, gasping as he saw she was hurt. Running forward he skidded to a stop, realizing she's probably super scared.

"Sorry! Sorry! I'm Ash! I didn't mean to make you cry harder!" Watching her curl in on herself had him kicking himself mentally and he unconsciously eased a bit of his emotion out, carefully pulling a scarf from his pocket.

"Here. This will help! Sorry again. Really sorry. What's your name?" The girl seemed to relax from the moment he started speaking again and whimpered a bit as he came closer but pushed her leg out.

"S-Serena. H...hi." Almost hiding behind her hair, Ash managed to keep his cool, trying to act how Galahad does. So soothing and calm. Luckily, or not so luckily, Ash got a _lot_ of scrapes and bruises so he did a pretty good job dealing with her wound he thinks.

"My friend Galahad said this would help! Watch!" Concentrating hard, he drops into the meditation he struggled so hard to achieve. Galahad said Ash was still quite a long way from doing anything big with this skill but at the very least it takes away some pain. He hears the girl gasp as his palm warms and he places it very gently on her knee. Feeling the aura flow through him always made him smile and the girl seemed to brighten at the one he gives now. He doesn't notice he could feel that with his eyes closed though.

"...It feels better! How did you do that?" The wonder in her voice matches her face as he opens his eyes and takes a bit of a deep breath. Whew! That takes a lot out of him.

"Aura! I've got a lot of it. Well. That's what my friend says. Here. Lets get you back to the Camp." Turning around, he offers his back. Before he started working with Galahad he wouldn't have been able to carry her, he thinks. Maybe!

Hesitantly and gingerly Serena gets up, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Gurk! J-just a little further down. Throat!" The eep that follows is pretty cute.

"S-sorry! Uhm. That better?" Nodding is a bad idea he thinks.

"Yep! Come on. We're not too far."

The walk back is rather fun for Ash. If there is one thing both Sunny and Galahad both taught him is that you feel great helping others. Sunny would often break up fights in their trips or cheer people up with her...Well. Sunnyness. Galahad on the other part would tell of talking to people. That when you understood someone you could emp...enth...feel what they feel! Doing that with Serena was easier than even talking to Gary. The jerk.

"So your mom rides _rhyhorn_?"

"Yes. I think she wants me to but I don't know...I'm not very brave like that. Plus the clothes are itchy."

"I get that but rhyhorn! You're mom's awesome! But she's not you. You do what you want. Only you can know what your dream is. Can't give up till its over! "

Serena's voice quieted then and she gripped him a bit tighter. It reminded him of his mom's hugs.

"What...do you want to do Ash? What do you dream about?"

"Hmm. Well I had one dream where I ate a house made out of bread. Oh! You mean like how I said. Right! Up until a little while ago I wanted to be a Pokémon Master. But now I want to be that _and_ an Aura Guardian."

The confused noise in her next question was very cute too. She was like a different type of Sunny!

"Huh? What's an Aura Guardian?" It was really, really hard not to drop her.

"You've never heard of an Aura Guardian?! What do they teach in Kalos?" The rest of the trip was telling her all the stories he's heard of Aaron and more recently the Silver Guardians of Johto. It had the added plus of keeping Serena's mind off here knee. Ash could take away the pain for a while but not that long.

Once they reached the camp there was much panic and Ash got really annoyed at the adults scaring Serena with their worry. Luckily Sunny showed up with Lati right next to her.

"Sunny! Come heal her!" The two sylveon running up to Ash paused all the commotion though Ash noticed that the Professor was just grinning. Huh.

"_Oh no! What happened? Wait a sec. Sunny Heal Pulse But is actually a Wish!" _The flow of energy that ran over Serena's leg wouldn't normally have affected a human too much but Sunny proudly said that she trained with a ghost to get better at it. Which confused Ash a lot but he got distracted by Lati asking him about pies and how they tasted before he could ask more.

Serena was a bit unsure of the sylveon, even if it was one of her favorite pokémon. She didn't know they were in Kanto. Then the wish washed over her and everything felt fine. Better than fine! Ash let her down slowly and she hugged him hard, shaking just a bit.

"Thank you. C-can we be friends?" She made sure to whisper it, cause having all the adults staring at what happened was a little scary.

The look on Ash's face was confusion and the young girl was very worried she said something wrong.

"We aren't already? Every friend I've made talks to me about everything. That's what we did!" The tone in his voice mad her rapidly nod her head.

"Yes! Friends." In that moment, none of them cared about the fact that everyone was still trying to figure out what happened. All they knew is that they'd created something special.

The rest of the Camp was the happiest Ash has ever been. Introducing Serena to Sunny and Lati was easy as could be. After Serena got over the shock of Ash being able to talk to them it was fun to see her be even more surprised when Lati started talking to her.

The quartet explored much further than the adults liked every day but the Professor explained them something about 'Elite, if not Champion level pokémon' which he didn't quite get. Sunny was more an _awesome_ pokémon and Lati was the kindest and most understanding pokémon.

Serena fit in well, slowly coming out of her shell and being more bold. They caught up the the poliwag and played in the water with its family. Wild rattatta, normally pests, would come to play tag with Ash. Serena was a bit too unsure to participate but she started yelling encouragement to everyone, even giving nicknames to the small rodents.

Slowly a bond that would last past anything they could have imagined formed. Sunny saved them, even if they didn't know it. In two ways. One, a passing fearow saw the two young humans as possible prey and didn't even get halfway into his dive before the strongest reflect shield he's ever seen appeared right in front of his beak followed immediately by a pin point moonblast that sent him crashing into a tree hundreds of yards away. When Ash asked what that could be Sunny just said it was a 'Gary' which was her new word for 'jerk' from hanging out with Ash so often.

The second way Sunny saved them was the last day of the Camp. Both children were utterly distraught and couldn't help but cry a bit at Serena returning home. Ash didn't think Kalos was anywhere he could get to easily so for him he pretty much thought he'd never see her again. Serena felt more or less the same but there was some hard determination in her to get her mother to let her travel with Ash when she was the proper age to go on her journey. Something she didn't think she was brave enough to ask for before she met Ash.

Eventually Sunny got fed up with the weeping and Ash would never forget what happened.

"_Argh! What's wrong? You're both so sulky! Like you got your ice cream rights taken away! That was a bad week." _Lati, as always, was pretty quiet, just sitting down and observing while secretly keeping her tears from showing too. Serena had grown heavily on her and she'd miss the kind girl quite a lot.

"C-c-cause Serena has to go home. Way, way far away."

"Y-yeah. I c-can't stay. But I want to!"

Dual 'waaaahhhs' had Sunny putting her ribbons over her ears. She sorta understood what they meant. But she always gets to see her long distance friends whenever she wants. Then again she has never seen a human get sucked into a pokéball. Oh. That _was_ sad.

"_Oh...I...That...That's awful! Waaaahhh. I don't want you to go either!"_

The next half an hour or so was one instance of a person's sadness infecting another repeatedly until Sunny couldn't handle it anymore.

"_Le-let's go ask my Mom. She fixes everything! C'mon Ash. Tell Serena th-that- my mom is the best. And so is yours! She makes great cookies. I'm not...b-bragging! Sunny is a good girl!" _

The sobbing mess of children and pokémon that entered Professor Oak's lab was deeply alarming to the man. Sunny refused to let any of his assistants stop them as she really only enjoyed his company of all the humans there besides Ash and Serena of course.

"Oh my word. What is wrong?" The fatherly instincts in him never really faded and already he's getting ready to call for medical help or the parents of the kids until Lati spoke, as Ash was hiccuping too hard to speak properly.

"_Sorry Professor...We...We don't want Serena to leave so Sunny thought Ella could help somehow."_ The mental sniffles of the latias had Professor Oak smiling a bit sadly. So nothing of a true emergency but still serious. His own thoughts go to setting them up with something long-range communication wise or even possibly setting up a teleport system but that might be a bit much. Regardless, Sunny needed to see her mom.

As the phone started ringing, Samuel went to get them all some water or since Ella could deal with them, something sweet.

Ash couldn't imagine what they'd do. A bunch of the same plan came into his head about maybe hiding in a cave for a while until they let Serena stay. It was interrupted by a voice he's gotten familiar with. Since he's know Sunny she would often have him bring up old news footage of her Mom.

"Oh Sunshine. What's the matter?" The girl on the screen is….Scary. Sort of. The eyepatch is a bit intimidating but it helped that it was a bright silver color. Long hair similar in color to Serena's is pulled up in a somewhat serious bun but it was her good eye that relaxed Ash just a bit. It was filled with worry for Sunny.

"_M-m-mom! Serena has to leave and we can't ever see here again!" _The sylveon gets her emotions under control just enough to state it then returns to wiping her tears away with her ribbons. Her mom looks away a bit for a sec and sighs, putting her hand on her chin then stands.

"Its a good thing Prime translated that. Forgot aura doesn't work so far away. I'll be there in just a minute sweetheart. We'll get this figured out."

As promised, a minute after the call ended there is a brief flash and Sunny's mom is there with a pretty gardevoir who looks very distressed by their crying and flashes out almost immediately. A while later she'd return with the most delicious ice cream Ash had ever tasted.

If he weren't so sad Ash would be freaking out a bit about meeting an actual Aura Guardian. Instead he just gives her the most brutal of attacks. The puppy-dog eyes. Serena, Lati and Sunny, sensing the possibility of changing all of fate do the same thing. Ash wonders why Sunny's Mom clutches her heart so dramatically.

"Fine..Fine. Just...Give me a moment to think." Ash can't help but hug the older girl as she seeks to fix their problem. Serena follows and Professor Oak comes back to a rather put out looking First Guardian covered in kids. Latias, despite being pretty old physically is most definitely still a child.

"Hey Professor. So. I was wondering if you could do me a favor. The Regional Professor in Kalos is...Sycamore right? Do you think you could transfer Angel there when...Serena was it?" Both Ash and the girl in question nod fiercely. "When she gets home so she can go visit and get the image in her head. If she's mega-evolved Angel should be able to teleport nearly anywhere on the planet."

All four heads snap upwards at the words and Ella is forced to endure resumed hugging and more tears this time of joy. The Professor simply grins and takes a picture before nodding.

"Of course. Are you certain she will have the time to take them back and forth?"

"Yeah. Things have finally started to get a bit easier. Not at all simpler. Or less busy. But not quite as frantic. Besides. I'm sure Galahad has told you of Ash's potential."

Serena and Ash exchange a glance, not sure what she means.

"I'm not going to have you...take him. The boy is like another grandchild to me. If when he's of age and can decide of his own volition that's another thing." Ash had never heard the Professor talk in that tone since he and Gary tried to sail into the bay and crashed.

"He's very, very strong Samuel. The things he could do."

"And later that'-Children. There is some hot cocoa in the other room that I've made for you. Guardian Mita is going to set up something with your parents about visiting when she has the time to take you all. So do cheer up. But we have things to discuss." It was still that tone! Ash had to try to learn more. Something told him that this was very, very important. Without even thinking about it his hand takes Serena's in support.

"But Professor, wha-"

"Ash. You've always done as I've said when I was serious. Out. Now. I promise your issue is solved."

Though she doesn't look happy with the Professor, Sunny's Mom gives him a reassuring smile. Both Lati and Sunny lead the children out but Ash hears two more things by pushing on his little bit of aura control.

"I forbid it Ella. The boy deserves a childhood without such extremes."

There is a long pause but the world practically screams for Ash to keep on listening.

"Alright. I didn't want to do this. So. Sammy. Did Celebi talk to you about the Chosen One when you went forward?"

The silence after was deafening and Ash could hear no more as Sunny led them out.

Who is Celebi?

* * *

**Yay cliffhangers! This was a lot of fun to write. Sorry we couldn't get to Lance's rematch but now we have a very awkward conversation to look forward to as well! I don't think I write children all that well so sorry if they come off a bit smarter or too sappy or w/e. **

**And Brock! Heh. A little bit of foreshadowing. Crazy out of control mons and all that. Plus the start of his girl crazy nature.**

**I guess Ella got herself a girlfriend too. Weird huh?**

**I don't know when the next chapter will be out. Probably going to write a few chapters for my SWTOR/Mass Effect fic then back to this and so on because exploring that world took the clutter out of this one for me. No battles this chapter but a lot of growth I think.**

**Its been so long since I've responded to reviews I'm not sure where I left off. If I didn't I'm sorry. Feel free to PM me if I didn't.**

**The start of the next chapter will have a lot of Oaks as well. We'll meet Jerk, I mean Gary of course and Blue will have a few apologies to give. Plus Leaf. Who will cause chaos. Mmm. Delicious.**

**I'm also heavily considering writing a few chapters entirely from one of team's perspective. I think its been far too long since Query has gotten some screen time. Joker too actually. Hrm. **

**Enough rambling! This'll be the second to last chapter I put down all the pokémon moves and such on. After that I'll likely put it on my utterly blank profile. Thank you all for your support and sorry it took so long to get this out.**

**Onto the team!**

* * *

**_**Zaela the King Garchomp (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Adamant**__

**_**Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Iron Head, Scary Face, Swagger, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, Double Team, Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, Rain Dance, Mud-Slap, Dual Chop, Slash, Dragon Claw, **_**__**Draco Meteor, Dragon Rush, Earthquake, **__**_**Stone Edge, **_**__**Crunch, **__**_**Fire Blast, Aerial Ace, Hyper Be**_**__**am, **____**Brutal Swing, Poison Jab, Iron Tail, Hone Claws, Aqua Tail, Whirlpool, Fury Cutter, Hidden Power**____**(Ice), Flare Blitz, **____**Incinerate, Toxic, Dragon Pulse, Headbutt, Bulldoze, Endure, **____**Dig, Twister, **____**Swift, **____**Laser Focus, **____**Swords Dance, Outrage, Body Slam, Metal Claw,**____** Surf, **____**Ancient Power, **____**Protect**__

**_**Combination Moves: Furnace (Sand Tomb, Earth Power, Sandstorm and Flamethrower. Basically burn them in a pit)**_**

**_**Pain Whirl (Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and Rock Slide with a helping of Mud-Slap. Confuse them in a tornado made of giant pain rocks)**_**

**_**Grinder- Earthquake and Earth Power to simultaneously disrupt movement and provide a sharp incline to speed up Dragon Rush and manually activate Stealth Rocks. Rock Slide to subtly hammer Stealth Rocks towards vital points. Very tiring.**_**

**_**Dragon Blitz- (See Mars)**_**

**_**Ella's starter and quite the stubborn pain in the butt. Self proclaimed sister of Ella.**_**

**_**2- Query the Shiny Metagross**_**__** (Identifies Male)**__

__**Ability: Clear Body**__

**_**Nature: Quirky**_**

**_**Moves: Iron Head, Iron Defense, Take Down, Zen Headbutt, Psychic, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Psych Up, Gravity, Ally Switch, Miracle Eye , Scary Face, Brick Break, Meteor Mash, Agility, Magnet Rise, Return, Reflect, Double Team, Light Screen, **_**__**Rock Smash, Hammer Arm. Pursuit, **__**_**Hammer Arm, **_**__**Toxic, Shadow Ball, Hyper **__**_**Beam, Focus Blast, **_****_**Flash, **_****_**Laser Focus, Telekinesis, Grass Knot, Giga Impact, **_****_**Earthquake, **_****_**Thunderpunch, **_****_**Rock Tomb, Ice Punch, Signal Beam, Stealth Rock, Dynamic Punch, Body Slam, Rollout, Strength, Endure, Block, Rest, Aerial Ace, **_****_**Rock Polish, **_****_**Protect, **_****_**Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Sandstorm**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Psi-Fist - A method of psychic manipulation of an opponents gravity and self to make critical hits happen. A variety of punches/strikes with heavy but small piercing-like psychic stabs to balance points. **_****_**Grass Knot and Flash-distracted Laser Focus attacks added.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Two- Constant mind/emotion reading to adapt to attack patterns and psychological weaknesses. Low level confusion waves to occlude and disrupt senses and to influence terror or caution depending on level of threat as well as psychological profile. Can currently use two dedicated brains for state two. Three deemed too detrimental to combat ability.**_**

**_**Psi-Fist Step Three- Every attack causes psychic waves within a victim's body. Focused mind reading directs the waves to short out essential organs and the nervous system. Not for sparring. Almost always fatal. **_**

**_**Meteor- Magnet Rise, Gravity and Psychic to aid in a mid-air constant rollout to build up maximum damage. Target is then aimed with an aerial ace at speeds matching or exceeding most electric types. Once target is hit detonated earthquake to follow and appropriate physical attack added. Ice punch. Zen Headbutt. Etc. Iron Defense and constant reflects for help against recoil.**_**

**_**3- Truthseeker(Tru) the Lucario (Female)**_**

**_**Abilities: Inner Focus, **_**__**Justified (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Serious**__

**_**Moves: Foresight, Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Detect, Cross Chop, Bite, Mind Reader, High Jump Kick, Agility, Vacuum Wave, Crunch, Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash, Copycat, Rock Smash, Force Palm, **_**__**Aura Sphere, Heal Pulse, **____**Protect, **____**Power-Up Punch, Me First, Calm Mind, **____**Extremespeed, Toxic, Focus Blast, Shadow Bal**__**_**l, **_**__**Thunderpunc**__**_**h**_****_**, Close Combat, **_****_**Bone Rush**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Heal Sphere- Aura Sphere made with heal pulse energy. Very aura intensive but serves as a long range critical heal.**_**

__**EMT- Bullet Punch, **____**Extremespeed or**____**M**____**e First(Depends on move) to target who is attacking ally. Counter if needed while second hand is using Heal Pulse. High Jump Kick away if Quick Attack is not fast enough. Looking into Substitute, Extremespeed and Quick Guard for increased effectiveness.**__

__**Reader: Calm Mind, Mind Reader, Detect to stay in someone's guard. Protect to be **____**used**____** later when unable to dodge.**__

__**Regen: Developed by Joy's lucario. Bounces small Heal Pulses onto a Protect screen to cause small amounts of healing over time. Somewhat draining even when perfected. Calm Mind increases efficiency.**__

**_**4- Sunshine(Sunny) the Sylveon (Female)**_**

__**Abilities: Cute Charm, **__**_**Pixilate (Hidden)**_**

__**Nature: Quirky**__

__**Moves: Fake Tears, Tickle, Wish, Yawn, Stored Power, **____**Charm,**____** Tackle, Helping Hand, Baby-Doll Eyes, Fairy Wind, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Swift, Moonblast, Refresh, Draining Kiss, Light Screen, Misty Terrain, Skill Swap, Reflect, Safeguard, Round, **____**Shadow Ball, To**__**_**xic, **_****_**Dig, **_****_**Snore, **_****_**Hyper Voice, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Double Team, **_****_**Psyshock, **_****_**Work Up, Synchronoise, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, **_****_**Calm Mind, **_****_**Baton Pass, Celebrate, Flash, Trump Card**_**

__**Special Moves: Talk no jutsu. Seriously. Okay not seriously. Just couldn't resist the joke.**__

**_**5- Mars the Shiny Charizard**_**__** (Male)**__

**_**Ability: Blaze**_**

**_**Nature: Lonely**_**

__**Moves: **__**_**Ancient Power, Flare Blitz, Scratch, Ember, Dragon Dance, Air Cutter, Crunch, Bite, Beat Up, Dragon Rush, Dragon Pulse, Slash, Fire Fang, Dragon Rage, Flame Burst, Flamethrower, Metal Claw, Smokescreen, Wing Attack, **_****_**Fire Blast, Thunderpunch, Hyper Beam, Toxic, Focus Blas**_**__**t, **____**Dragon Tail, Dragon Breath, **____**Shadow Claw. Will o' Wisp, Ominous Wind, Fire Spin, **____**Dig, Earthquake**____**, Sunny Day. Draco Meteor (Currently only in Mega)**__

**_**Combination Moves(Self Taught): Dragon Blitz-High speed directed attack. A fully boosted by Dragon Dance Flare Blitz combined with a Dragon Rush that can be changed mid attack by using an enforced claw with Slash and Metal Claw to dig into nearby surfaces to a new direction. **_**__**Wing Attack and Air Cutter to achieve similar effects in air. Steel Wing desired. Double Team to be added for confusion once completely mastered. Possible Beat Up Clones when team exceeds six members.**__

**_**Smoke Boost- Dragon Dance while setting up favorable terrain with Ancient Power and hoping for more buffs while covered in a Smokescreen. Double Team and Beat Up to be added later.**_**

__**Firewall- Flame Bursts tossed up high and fed with a directional Air Cutter. Flamethrower added immediately after Flame Burst. Able to use without Blaze but cannot sustain it while moving without ability activation. Ancient Power to be added in slowly. Rock Slide an alternative if learnt.**__

**_**6- Aurora the **_****_**Aurorus**_**__**(Female)**__

**_**Abilities: Refrigerate, Snow Warning (Hidden)**_**

**_**Nature: Modest**_**

**_**Moves: Powder Snow, Thunder Wave, Haze, Barrier, Mirror Coat, Sandstorm, Hail, Magnet Rise, Discharge, Rock Throw, Mist, Icy Wind, Ice Beam, Round, Ancient Power, Aurora Beam, Avalanche, **_****_**Thunderbolt, Hyper Beam, **_****_**Safe**_****_**guard, Freeze Dry, Light Screen. Encore, Nature Power, Blizzard, **_****_**Rain dance, **_****_**Thunder, **_****_**Aurora Veil, Earthquake, Psychic, Charge Beam, Psych Up, Frost Breath, Flash Cannon, Dark Pulse, Iron Defense, Stealth Rock, Flash**_**

**_**Combination Moves: Storm Defense: Ability activation, Sandstorm and Barrier. Omni-Directional Discharge if any non-ground types enter the field. **_****_**Hail and Aurora Veil amp it up with Rain Dance causing massive amounts of electric bursts.**_**

**_**Odin's Eye: A method of tagging a target with a magnetic, low powered rock throw to place a marker. Leads to an incredibly high accuracy attack through Storm Defense by seeking out the signature with her fins.**_**

__**7- **____**Wattson(Thunderbug) the Ele**____**c**____**tivire**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Motor Drive, **____**Vital Spirit (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Jolly**__

__**Moves: **____**Thunder Shock, Cross Chop, Thunderbolt, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Focus Punch, Low Kick, Rolling Kick, Meditate, Dynamic Punch, Light Screen, Barrier, Thunderpunch, Discharge, Thunder, Shock Wave**____**, Focus Blast, Toxic, **____**Thunder Wave, **____**Dig, **____**Earthquake, **____**Electric Terrain, **____**Round, **____**Electro Ball, Swift, Taunt, Rain Dance, Protect, Double Team, Rock Tomb, Psychic, Charge Beam, Swagger, Rock Slide, Bulldoze, Thunder, Signal Beam, Helping Hand, Power-Up Punch, Flamethrower, Mud-slap, **____**Magnet Rize**__

__**Combo Moves: The Punch-A fully motor drive/meditate buffed thunder punch combined with focus punch and electric terrain caused by launching someone with an earthquake. Ice or Fire Punch substituted for vulnerabilities.**__

__**The DANCE- Rain dance, swagger, meditate and magnet rise all at once to impress and infuriate at once! Flash to be used later when learned. Possibly signal beam as well.**__

__**Prismatic Spray- A bunch of moves at once. Very draining. Psychic, signal beam, thunderbolt, flamethrower and focus blast at once. Very flashy, doesn't hit overly hard yet. Just super disruptive.**__

__**Rasengan- Sigh. Double team to add rotation. No. Its just for fucking flair. And apparently able to low power helping hand. Its literally just an electro ball with a blue color that the idiot shoves into someone bodily. Instead of actually throwing it. Working on combining it with focus blast and psychic to make a shuriken. Yeah. **__

__**8- Joker**____** the Zoroark**____**(Male)**__

**_**Ability: Illusion**_**

**_**Nature: Serious (as fuck)**_**

**_Moves: _****_Fake Tears, Fury Swipes, Night Slash, Night Daze, Detect, U-Turn, Imprison, Pursuit, Hone Claws, Flamethrower, Scary Face, Feint Attack, Taunt, Foul Play, Torment, Double Team, Embargo, Punishment, Dark Pulse, Copycat, Sucker Punch, Shadow Ball, Bounce, Grass Knot, Psych Up, _****_Shadow Claw, Snarl, _****_Dig, _****_Focus Blast, Shadow Ball, _****_Toxic_**

**_**9- Angel**_**__** the **____**Gardevoir**____** (Female)**__

__**Ability: Trace, Synchronize, Telepathy (Hidden)**__

__**Nature: Modest**__

__**Moves: **____**Teleport, Ally Switch, Trick Room, Dazzling Gleam, Healing Wish, Wish, Heal Pulse, Misty Terrain, Psychic, Confusion, Moonblast, Icy Wind, Mimic, Calm Mind, Captivate, Stored Power, Nightmare, Hypnosis, Dream Eater, Future Sight, Heal Bell, Echoed Voice, Hyper Voice, Hyper Beam, Shadow Sneak, Disable, Confuse Ray, Encore, Imprison, Skill Swap, Destiny Bond, **____**Light Screen, Reflect, Protect, **____**Round**__

__**10- **____**Tasslehoff the Mismagius**____** (Male)**__

__**Ability: Levitate**__

__**Nature: Modest**__

__**Moves: **____**Spite, Confuse Rate, Scary Face, Mean Look. Toxic, Will o' Wisp, Hex, **____**Sucker Punch, Psybeam, Zap Cannon, Payback, Perish Song, Grudge, Pain Split, Power Gem, Astonish, Phantom Force, Mystical Fire, Magical Leaf, Lucky Chant, Torment, Thief, Trick Room, Dark Pulse, Curse, Torment, Memento, **____**Dream Eater, **____**Endure, Flash, **____**Thunderbolt, Thunder, Rain Dance, Echoed Voice, Energy Ball, Thunder Wave, Shadow Ball, Dazzling Gleam, Shadow Sneak, Me First, Wonder Room, Magic Coat, Icy Wind, Foul Play, Shock Wave, Hyper Voice, Ally Switch**__

__**11- **____**Brightscales (Bri) the shiny Milotic (Female)**__

__**Ability: Marvel Scale, Competitive, Cute Charm**__

__**Nature:Bold**__

__**Moves:**____**Splash, Tackle, Flail, Mud Sport, Hypnosis, Confuse Ray, Mirror Coat, Tickle, Haze, Mist, Dragon Pulse, Dragonbreath, Captivate, Brine, **____**Water Pulse, Aqua Ring, Recover, Disarming Voice, Refresh, Attract, Safeguard, Coil, Rain Dance, Surf, Scald, Ice Beam, Endure, Aqua Tail, **____**Dragon Tail, Wrap, **____**Round**__

**_**12- **_****_**Ororo the Lugia (Female)**_**

**_**Ability: Pressure, Multiscale**_**

**_**Nature: Calm**_**

_****Moves: Weather Ball, Aeroblast, Rain Dance, Giga Drain. Psychic, Extrasensory, Thunder, Thunderbolt, Surf, Hydro Pump, Water Pulse, Earthquake, Thunder Wave, Sky Attack, Hyper Voice, Calm Mind, Shadow Ball, Skill Swap, Telekinesis, ****Whirlwind, Gust, Dragon Rush, Hurricane, Swift, Ice Beam, Icy Wind, Blizzard, Punishment, Ancient Power, Recover, ****Roost,**** Safeguard, Future Sight, Psyshock, Hail, Sunny Day, Light Screen, Reflect, Protect, Return, Double Team, Sandstorm, Aerial Ace, Steel Wing, Iron Head, Echoed Voice, Sky Drop, Fly, Charge Beam, Psych Up, Waterfall, Dive, Earth Power, Signal Beam, Zen Headbutt, Dragon Breath, Tailwind, Laser Focus, Defog, Whirlpool, Air Cutter, Ominous Wind, Twister, Swift, Detect, Brine, Endure****_


End file.
